Generosity involves all your money: A conversation with Les Lindquist

When a colleague at a corporate party asked Les Lindquist about his favourite investment, he replied that he donated to the school he’d attended. Their employer matched the gift! Les invested in people. Les smiles remembering the story, recalling that the questioner “drifted off.”  

Retired now, Les Lindquist has over 50 years’ experience practicing generosity. He’s a regular swimmer and writer. He supports Christian writing in Canada through the Word Guild, which is how I came to know him.

How did you learn to give?

The example came from my parents. Their generosity went beyond financial. I remember missionaries hosted in our home and my parents’ leadership in church. My mother had a giving attitude, if there was need, she would step up and do it.

My own giving began as duty, based on tithing. While Christians are not under the law anymore, why would we do less [i.e. give less] under freedom? We don’t have to give a certain amount under law, but 10% is a guideline. I overhead someone boasting about giving $5/week to the church, which is the right attitude but not the right amount.

My wife has a generous spirit. We were still in university, on meagre incomes, when we sponsored our first child. Later in our marriage, I remember discussing whether we should give 10% on gross income, or net income after taxes. We arrived at a compromise that including both giving and buying Christian books to support authors we valued. I believe in supporting those people and places giving you spiritual input.

What are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for my family, my children and grandchildren. I’m grateful that I can do things to help causes I believe in.

I don’t think giving should be only to the church. Giving to the poor is more and more a priority. I give to people who make good use of money. I’ve been involved in two church plants. One would be considered a failure – the church wasn’t sustainable, and it closed. But more people came to Christ in that church, and then moved to churches with more programs, than in the other church that was a success in drawing people in from other churches.

What’s your approach to generosity?

I think about frugality and generosity. Planning what I want to give means thinking about spending too. I’m wearing a Nike shirt that I bought at the thrift store. It helps even more to buy from them than to donate old clothes. Generosity involves all your money.

My wife and I track our spending. At the end of the year, we look at what we are spending money on. What have we done and what changes do we want to make? Our generosity began by understanding what we’re spending and what we’re giving.

We keep a buffer in our giving budget for causes that present themselves, even people who come to the door. We enjoy being able to say yes to causes like the local hospital. A lot of our giving is pre-assigned: our three sponsored children and other causes closer to home. We support causes as we’ve come to know people, especially long-term relationships with missionaries. Over time we’ve also shifted to include the poor and the homeless. Yes, the poor will always be with us, and God is trusting me to help the poor.

What’s your favourite way to give?

Our grandchildren get to choose from a relief and development gift catalogue. It’s not instead of a Christmas gift; it’s teaching them about other people’s needs. There’s no dollar limit – if it’s a $250 latrine or $25 for chickens, we’ll do it. It’s interesting to hear their perspectives.

It’s important to build a generous spirit. My wife and I received a bequest that we didn’t need at that point. We decided to pass to our kids while they still needed it, even though we still have a mortgage.

While it’s clear in talking to Les that trust and gratitude are the bedrock for faithful generosity, he remarks that he often feels like he is “struggling between generosity and duty.” Does giving get easier?

You see that God has been generous and God’s long history of faithfulness.

After my first year of university, I worked for a camp for a $2/day honorarium which wasn’t much, even back then. I had a wonderful summer of serving and being served. I have great memories, including waterskiing before supper every day. I didn’t know how I was going to pay for school and when I went to the office in the fall to tell them this, they said that I had won a scholarship. The real gift was the summer I’d had and not the scholarship.

I’ve learned to trust that God will meet my needs. Let God take care of you in the future.

 I enjoy going out for coffee with friends and I don’t feel guilty – finally! I went for coffee at a local spot, where I know my spending will bless someone else.

When I asked what advice Les had for people learning generosity, he pointed to the logo on his shirt and said, “just do it.”

Find causes you believe in and give, things that are rewarding like missionaries. Get to know the people. Keep track of your spending.

Years ago, I received a gift from a friend. I offered to repay him. He said to pay this generosity forward and tell the recipients to do the same. It’s heartening to hear the results, I helped a friend from the pool. Later I heard he took a homeless man out for lunch. It’s great.

Any last words?

Les is concerned about sounding boastful and emphasizes he is simply “sharing what I’ve learned.”  I thank God for his generous spirit and faithful living.