In September 2013, a man in Brazil developed what doctors called "pathological generosity." In an article published in the journal Neuroscience, doctors described the strange case of a 49-year-old man identified as "Mr. A" who had a remarkable personality change after suffering a stroke. His physicians said that after the stroke affected the subcortical regions of the man's brain he suddenly had an "excessive and persistent" urge to help others. He wouldn't stop giving money and gifts to people he barely knew. According to his wife, he would buy candy, soda, and food for kids he met on the street. He was also quit his job as a manager of a large corporation. Dr. Larry Goldstein, a neurologist at Duke University said, "Although the observation of personality change is not that unusual, this particular one is apparently novel."

When asked by researchers if he wanted to return to his job, Mr. A. claimed that he "saw death from close up" and he wanted to "be in high spirits" for the rest of his life. Mr. A. was put on medication for depression, which he said cured his depression but his "pathological generosity" remained unchanged.

Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Conversion; New Man—Apparently Mr. A. couldn't help his "pathological generosity" (although we can't be sure of that), but isn't there something akin to conversion in this story? We become different people from a power outside ourselves and we are forever marked by "pathological" goodness and love. (2) Generosity; Money—The same can be said for what happens to Christians who are called to give cheerfully.