The Power of Giving

It's not often that I point to a business site to make a point about personal finances, but I just had to share a post I found on Duct Tape Marketing titled Give and You Shall Receive. In particular, here are John's comments (his are about marketing) that hold true for money as well:

There are certain laws of nature that even the most cynical are likely to admit exist.

Every religion or spiritual practice that I am aware of teaches that it is in the giving you truly receive.

I've noticed lately that several of the personal finance books I've read address this issue in one way or another, and I plan to post more on it in the future. I certainly know that it's been true in my life that when I started to give away more and more to various charities, that's when my income started to rise (and kept on going up). Coincidence?

Comments

[Big Cajun Man]

Very important to "pay it back" as it were. I liked Suzie Orman's comments on the topic of giving as well, very eloquent.

If you believe in Karma, giving is important. If you don't, giving, supporting and helping is just the HUMAN thing to do! Give, it doesn't even have to be money, give of yourself, your time, and it will pay back Dividends of unimaginable value!

--C8j

[Big Cajun Man]

Very important to "pay it back" as it were. I liked Suzie Orman's comments on the topic of giving as well, very eloquent.

If you believe in Karma, giving is important. If you don't, giving, supporting and helping is just the HUMAN thing to do! Give, it doesn't even have to be money, give of yourself, your time, and it will pay back Dividends of unimaginable value!

--C8j

[~Dawn]

I going to try a test this week and see what happens with the idea of the "giving/receiving" karma, ying/yang line of thought.
Will see how it goes over the next 6 weeks

[FMF]

Dawn --

Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. I've found that people who give to get don't prosper (selfishness is the true motive) versus people who give just to help/bless others do receive more (concern/helping is the true motive).

FMF

[mysticaltyger]

My income went up a few months after I started tithing to my church on a regular basis. Even thought I don't go to Church any more, I still give away almost 7% of my income & am working to get it back up to 10% or more.

My net worth increases significantly every year, despite my having an income that is below average for the area where I live.

[Dr. Artfredo C. Abella Ph.D]

The Power of Giving simply stems from the fact that what we receive in this earth is always coming from the blessings of God, hence it will be mindful by showing our gratitude to Him by giving back for what we have received. Persons or individuals who are capable of giving or tithing are blessed people since their ability to give would only be there if God provides them with abundance in life. You cannot give what you do not possess and God is a great provider to some people which enable them then to give or tithe. Giving resonates abundance in life as poverty is a curse as it represents lack in life. The universe is a great arena of affirmative emotions and attractions that can make things resonate and come true. If you truly believe that being generous towards humanity is a good value in life then the universe would compensate you on the same level on what you sow. The other thing to remember is that by giving, some people would also take into consideration the returns or expectations on what they have given. That is true enough as what the Bible says you have to give in order to receive but per se giving with the sole intention of receiving, I believe would dissipate its spirit. You have to give or tithe for the sake of giving or tithing, nothing more nothing less. By doing this practice an individual becomes reverend and even becomes god like for indeed his giving is with a sincere heart and intentions. In the Upanishads concept in India there is such thing as Karma. So if you are practicing charity in life you will also receive the grace of God not necessarily in terms of money but possibly in terms of having good health, wealth or even prospective life's opportunities. This is congruent to the saying that indeed there is a power in giving. Since if you want to have love in life then you have to give love, if you want integrity in other people then give or show them integrity by example, if you want friendships then you have to be friendly or the least give friendships to your kinsmen. If you want to receive then you have to give. The Bible will tell us, for those much are given, much are also expected of them to give. If you want to have money then you have to give more money in return to the populace. The philosophy of the man who said that he has given them everything in his life and all that he possess and therefore they are also his is indeed applicable in this practice. Give everything that you have for the service of mankind, your time, you energy, your vision and mission in life and your sacrifices and you will be amazed that others will also give you the same gratifications that you have given them. The Rosicrusians would then advocate that "Let us not divide our mind for the sake of thy tongue." Let us then enhance the power of giving whether it is for money, services or even good intentions in life. They would also tell that in this material earthly life there are only two things that can be heavenly achieved, one are the good things that you have performed and gave while you were still living and the second are the wonderful memories that you have encountered and experienced in this temporal life. I would like to paraphrase what Davy Crocket of Alamo once said: " This before I die, do it right and give it right and then go ahead in life."