"I only get to keep that which I am prepared to give up. In Western terms, virtue is its own reward. There is no hope of redemption in doing good in order to be saved. Only by doing good for its own sake, without seeking reward, can we attain salvation." That quote by Sheldon Kopp is a favorite of mine. When I give simply to give or in response to a need, my giving is pure. When I give with some ulterior motive such as to get something in return or inflate my ego or to make the other happy, my giving is strategic. I think I saw at a young age that giving can be pure or manipulative, and the distinction became more obvious over time. A great deal of giving is strategic, and pure non-strategic giving stands out as special. Sometimes my giving is strategic even when I think it's pure. Being mindful of my giving helps me be aware of my true motives and be aware of whether I'm giving with or without strategizing.
On Feb 20, 2015 david doane wrote :
"I only get to keep that which I am prepared to give up. In Western terms, virtue is its own reward. There is no hope of redemption in doing good in order to be saved. Only by doing good for its own sake, without seeking reward, can we attain salvation." That quote by Sheldon Kopp is a favorite of mine. When I give simply to give or in response to a need, my giving is pure. When I give with some ulterior motive such as to get something in return or inflate my ego or to make the other happy, my giving is strategic. I think I saw at a young age that giving can be pure or manipulative, and the distinction became more obvious over time. A great deal of giving is strategic, and pure non-strategic giving stands out as special. Sometimes my giving is strategic even when I think it's pure. Being mindful of my giving helps me be aware of my true motives and be aware of whether I'm giving with or without strategizing.