Sunday, April 1, 2007

What's in it for me?

Most people understand how cool it feels to help someone in need, to be the gift-giver instead of the receiver, to guide someone toward a real solution to a problem, to teach. It's most obvious in dealing with children - seeing their faces light up when they open a Christmas present, watching the light go on when they get the math problem right, or whatever. Being generous with your time, knowledge, talents, money and things is as great a blessing to you as it is to the receiver.

Here come the rhetorical questions - why do we still think we are "entitled" to be the receivers? Where does all our selfish behavior come from? Why do we have to think twice (at least) before we perform an unselfish act? Why do we count the cost to ourselves first? And when we do give, we want some kind of pat on the back or gold star or something.

Ok, maybe it's just me, but I always catch myself thinking something like, "I wish I could give more, but I need this for me." I wonder if I will ever have enough of anything so that I don't have to think through my own needs before I decide if I can be generous. I doubt it. Maybe someday I'll mature enough that I can give freely regardless of what I have or don't have.

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