Are You a Giver or a Receiver?

More blessed is to give than to receive, said the Apostle Paul in the Bible. Is this still true in our day when people are encouraged to receive, take, get, and hoard?. This poses an interesting question in my mind, because if it is better to give than to receive, how can we do it when we are surrounded by selfishness and hoarding.

Perhaps that word only applied to the days of Paul. The question is, is it possible to be a giver in a context of getting, receiving, and taking. This gets even worse if you go to the so-called third world countries where for decades people were taught to receive. And all these countries do is to receive donations from western countries. This has reached such a an extent that the people are even incapable of giving because all they have known is to receive and wait for somebody to give them something.

We Are All Capable Of Giving

This is a shame because all humans are capable of being generous with their fellow humans. Giving is one of the greatest expressions of our humanity. If we are not capable of giving more of ourselves, our time, our resources, and the best of what we have for the betterment of humanity, then we have denied the right to be called humans.

[tweetthis]Giving is one of the greatest expressions of our humanity. [/tweetthis]

Being human is to be empathetic with the needs of our fellow humans, and be there for them when they need most. It is about being able to share our best, not our worst with others. It is the ability to acknowledge that there are people who are not in the same position with our, and can therefore, benefit from a bit of help.

[tweetthis]If we are not capable of giving more of ourselves, our time, our resources, and the best of what we have for the betterment of humanity, then we have denied the right to be called humans.[/tweetthis]

What Can You Give

Often times people make excuses saying that the responsibility to give is for the rich. As if only rich people can give. But the truth is that we all have something of value to give and to add value to somebody else. The question is what are you going to give. Start by making an inventory of your assets, and believe me we all have assets.

Starting with your time, your knowledge, your skills, your passions, perhaps even your money, the things that you no longer use, your friends, and your experiences in life.You can give love, a hug, a word of encouragement to somebody, you can give a smile (you never know what a smile can do to person).

As you can see there is a lot that we can all give and contribute to a better world. Looking at all these assets you will realize that there are people who can benefit from a portion of your advice and your knowledge. At some places a $1 bill can buy six loaves o bread, and guess what? We can all give a $1. If you a reading this blog, i bet that you can.

So start now, and begin to look around to see if you can find people who are needy and can benefit from what you have. Perhaps you can spend an hour per week at a school, shelter, orphanage, helping some kids with their homework, and even teaching them some life skills. Perhaps you can give your old clothes, they may be old for you, but remember, there are people in the world that do not own even a decent shirt. So think about it.

A Shift in Mindset

The inability to go give that most people have, is often rooted in a false belief that states that if you give you lose something. This stems from a scarcity mindset that says that the little that you have is just for you, and if you share it with others there will be nothing left. This belief goes further, thinking that if you give, everybody else will have what you have, therefore, they will not need you anymore.

The inability to go give that most people have, is often rooted in a false belief that states that if you give you lose something.

It goes even further in believing that you have nothing to give, or that what you have is too little to share with others. The person who thinks this way believes that to give is to lose, and is informed by a competitive mindset.

The opposite of the above is the abundance mindset that states that there are enough resources in the world for all of us. In addition to that, if you give you will receive, and the more you give the more you receive. This is the way of thinking that those who give choose to embrace.

So what is your way of thinking? What type of mindset governs you thinking? Is the scarcity mindset or the abundance mindset? If you have a scarcity mindset, perhaps it’s time to make a shift in the way you think and move to the other side. Unless you do this, it will always be hard for you to give. You will always think that you are losing when you give. Choose to have an abundance mindset today.

Looking For Opportunities to Give

We should all look for opportunities to give, rather than opportunities to take more and to beg for more. It is our human responsibility is to give, so we should do it more often. And opportunities to give abound all around us, this is not difficult to find. Our world is a needy world, and if you look carefully you will find a person or people who can benefit from your help.

[tweetthis]It is our human responsibility is to give, so we should do it more often.[/tweetthis]

The Joy of Giving

There is a joy and sense of fulfillment when we give, we feel as if we have contributed to better somebody’s life, to the better the world. When you give you put a smile in a person’s life, you make somebody happy, you help make the world a better place. When you give it also makes you happy and fulfilled.

The Motivation To Give

In the business world people do not give with genuine reasons, quite often they give because of the tax incentives that the Government gives them. They call it their social responsibility, and this is where i disagree. Giving is not a social responsibility, it is a human duty. You give because you are human, you give because you are empathetic with your fellow human, you give because you want to make the world a better place, you give because you care. You give because it is the right thing to do.

[tweetthis]Giving is not a social responsibility, it is a human duty.[/tweetthis]

You do not need the Government to come and tell you to give so that you can get something out of it. You should not give with the expectation to get something in return. That is not giving, it is a business transaction. If you are doing business, then do business. But if you want to give, give for the right reasons and stop doing it as part as your social responsibility. Give because you care, full stop.

You should not give with the expectation to get something in return. That is not giving, it is a business transaction.

I believe that those who are in business and give out of a genuine concern should stop calling it their social responsibility and start calling their human duty. Give because you care, you can, and you should. Whether the Government gives you an incentive for that or not, just give. That is the right thing to do, that should be your true motivation in life.

Do not give to be seen and to be known, do not even call the media for that matter, let your left hand not know what you did. Do not even put it in a Press Release, just give for heaven’s sake. If you are going to give, do it right, the right motivation is everything in life. If you have the right motives, you are on the right track, but if your motives are wrong, not even God can help you. You will not be able to sustain this kind of giving.

[tweetthis]Do not give to be seen and to be known, do not even call the media for that matter, let your left hand not know what you did.[/tweetthis]

When You Give, You Receive

Yes, i saved this for last because in my view is not the most important and should not be the main motivation. However, it is true that when we embrace giving we will be rewarded more. And this can come in several ways, it follows the natural laws that when you sow you reap. And above all, it is a spiritual principle that the Lord Jesus taught us, “Give and you shall receive“.

Nobody can bit this, giving is a law, it is a principle that works anywhere, with anybody, at any time or season. When you choose to have a giving lifestyle, you will also constantly receive. And this happens when you less expect. This is the secret to receive.

In Conclusion

So  what’s your take? Are you are giver or a receiver? What is it going to be? It is never late to change and begin to adopt the right mindset. Together we can change the world, together we can make the world a better place, together we can do it. So let us join hands together and look for more opportunities to give. Are you in? Let me know in the commentaries.

Thanks for stopping by!

Giving For a better World.

Shalom!