I see 2 types of charity givers: the silent ones and the noisy ones.

I know many people giving to charity and chose to remain anonymous. They give more than anyone else on the list, yet never mention of their contribution. They give out of generosity, or out of appreciation for the work of the organization, and they don’t give a hoot what other people think. We rarely know of these people.

The other type of givers, we hear about them all the time. Because they make sure we know. They make sure their act of kindness is acknowledged and praised. I know lots of folks under this category. They give to one charity, and demand for a letter of acknowledgment or their name on the Donors’ List. They contribute to the building of a church; and want their name engraved on the wall. Do I think they give out of the kindness of their heart? Maybe. But I think mostly they give because they want in return a praise to their kindness. In effect, they pay to be stroked. Some organizations take advantage of this weakness in people. They publish a Gold List of Donors who give a large amount of money, along with the regular Donor’s List. Do you think anybody wants to be on the regular list?

I’m not gonna ask what type of giver you are. But if and when you give, ask yourself why and be honest. If you give out of being pressured to, then learn to say No. If you give out of pure kindness, you’re already a buddha in this life. If you give expecting something in return, it’s OK to be human.