Charity from the Heart or with hidden motives?

When we give, do we give with true generosity or is there a hidden agenda (strings attached)? We all know of people who give money and then like to blow their own trumpets don't we? Is that charity or just stoking their ego? In my opinion that person wasn't doing charity out of generosity but using money to stoke his own ego. Sort of like a "I'm rich, you are not. So here, it's your good fortune that I am willing to give some of my money to you so you better listen to me (or put me on a pedestal)" kind of mentality.


I don't know if you know people like that but I know one. Well to be fair perhaps this was how it has been in his little town and everyone he has given money to, just puts him on the pedestal and sings to his tune whether willingly or unwillingly. Well, where I come from, that kind of act does not gain one any respect at all. In fact in my books it is one of the fastest ways to lose respect. He did it to a few people in full view of me and then had the cheek to tell me something along the line that "see I have money and can give money so that everybody is happy". And he said this not just in my presence but in the presence of the recipients too. I was like WTF?!?! Now this happened few years ago but I just happened to reflect on it now. I recall how I just completely lost all respect for this person. In my mind he wasn't genuinely generous. Granted he is very very rich. But his mentality is that of a person sooo unbelievably egoistic, his so called charity comes across as show-off, belittling, self-centered and even to the extend of treating others like dogs. Sorry dude. With all due respect to you for being one generation above me, you just lost my respect for you in all other areas...right down the sewer pipes.


We also know people who like to brag about the perfectness of their lives. Always saying "this is my good karma". Even to the extend of bragging when counseling others to the point they get the opposite result. Imagine a marriage counselor while counseling, brags about the perfectness of his/her spouse in front of the patient who is already thinking that his/her spouse is less than what he/she would like and that patient then goes into depression and ends up hating the spouse even more. Sooo counterproductive. That's what I call a "wan kat" counselor. In my opinion, such a person is only being self centered, righteous and just plain showing off in a "I'm holier (or greater) than thou" attitude. Definitely not in any position to counsel anyone. Oh puhleeezzz. Don't believe that this kind of counselor exist? Trust me. They do. I know one such "mighty me, myself and I" counselor. Sigh... Well then again, perhaps the intention was good but the delivery was very upsetting. If the intention was to use our own life as an example of how we solved certain problems that may seem similar to the ones faced by the person under counseling, then its different.

True charity comes from the heart. One does not need to claim any credit for the act. If any pleasure is derived it is from the sight of seeing someone else's life transform before you. It transcends religious boundaries, cultural boundaries, and every other boundary there is. There is no such thing as "I'll help you but you need to convert to my religion because its by the grace of My God that I do this charity to you". That is plain hypocrisy. Your real intention for doing charity was to increase you ranks of followers for your religion and that does not cut it! Most Christian charities, in particular, fall into this hypocrisy trap. Buddhist do not do this (though some do). The truth of the matter is that people who truly give from their heart just do it. They do not need to be long to ay religion. They don't announce to the world their actions. For us small timers, we just give in the manner that suits us. However, if there is a need to raise funds, then the appropriate channels are employed to do so. But it's never to blow their on trumpet. It's never for the "greater glory of their God". God is omnipotent, He/She does not need you to blow his glory all over the planet. 


And the act of giving knowledge is the highest form of charity as you would then be helping a fellow human being improve or transform his/her life. You are in essence giving a fishing rod in opposed to giving just fish.


Energy-wise, when one gives, energy is being sent out and like energy returns to you. So when it comes to charity from the heart, like energy returns to you. This is like karma or cause-and-effect. You will receive what you send out. The universe will work it out. You need not have that intention. However if you are looking at getting a name or "hao lien" then...well...that's all you get then. No good karma at all. Of course I am not saying we do charity for the purpose of creating good karma. No... Like I said its gotta come from the heart else forget it. You won't enjoy it, it's like a chore and people will eventually see through your less than noble intentions. Or if you are just looking at stoking your ego then guess what? Negative karma is created.


I must add here....bragging also creates negative karma. If you keep bragging about how perfect your life is to others, you are essentially creating a lot of negativity. And so guess what..that so called good karma will run out faster than you can imagine. And IMHO you would be lucky if it runs out within the same lifetime so that you are warned of it and can immediately take actions to rectify the situation. Otherwise you maybe wondering in a future lifetime what it was you did the last lifetime that made you have to go through shit "now".


Related post:
Do we give fish or the fishing rod?
Is it true that people who are poor have chosen to be poor