"When you give to the poor, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing". Matthew 6:3
When we hear the word "charity" we think of giving to the poor and needy. A love made visible as in service. But really, what does charity mean? It is pure joy of giving, which includes much more than material and monetary things…. keeping someone in prayers, a warm smile to strangers, an encouraging hug, an unexpected phone call, a thoughtful word of appreciation, fraternity with a person in grief, giving a listening ear…. what that is done not out of duty or responsibility but out of the abundance of love and compassion. The more you give, the more flows back in; that is the joy of love in action, the manifestation of charity. As long as you feel compelled to do something or give because it is your duty or because you want something in return, there is no love. As Abraham Lincoln said: "With malice towards none, with charity for all". Charity is not just a religious concept; it forms the basis for belief in democracy. Regardless of one belief in God or not, one believes in the intrinsic value of human beings and bases one's life and behaviour on that belief. The challenge remains for all of us… to give without expectation or reward. But alas, in this selfish and self-centred world, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s a long way to being a gracious society especially when every individuals and organizations have a hidden agenda. Such is the ugly nature of mankind… the savanna effect.
