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Giving is something one should do wholeheartedly and without expecting anything in return. Often we give while inadvertently expecting a favor or something to come our way in the form of gratitude, praise, special consideration, etc. However, this is not the way giving should be intended. True voluntary giving entails giving with kindness and goodness in your heart and then moving on. In Kenya we say: “Tenda Wema, Nenda Zako” which directly translates to do good and be on your way.
Why Giving is Important
Service to others is service to God and giving, as opposed to receiving, is the ultimate form of service to others and, consequently, to God. In the Christian way of life, we are taught that God gave his only begotten son to the world so that we may all be saved from sin. This is perhaps the most meaningful teaching in Christianity and giving is at the core of it.
Giving is Caring
Sometimes we try to overthink the various ways to show that we care for others. We scratch our heads thinking of how to show care, love, and affection whilst we only need to be kind and give. We can show we care by giving protection, love, time and attention, and even physical things that would meet physical needs. For example, providing some food to a street family may be just as valuable as spending thirty minutes with them and hearing them out about their plight.
Giving Without Expecting Anything in Return
True kindness and well-intentioned giving are when we give without expecting anything in return. For instance, Nelson Mandela dedicated his life and gave away his freedom to ensure that apartheid was toppled in South Africa. Mandela wasn’t expecting anything in return, and neither did he ask to be rewarded in any way. He spent 27 good years in prison for the freedom of his country and came out smiling and happy that his people had finally been freed. This is explicable to what true giving and authentic kindness are all about.
The Importance of Giving without Expecting Anything in Return
Think about your mom, the care, love, and protection she has afforded you all those years. Think about what she has gone through to raise you into who you are today. If she were to be paid, would you think you’d be able to pay her? Absolutely not. As such, giving should be natured out of good and pure kindness, and should be done from an open and loving heart. Your mom’s care and love are the perfect examples of why it is important to give without expecting anything in return; because true kindness is invaluable and has a positive impact beyond what we can possibly imagine.
How to Learn to Give without Expecting Anything in Return
The best way to learn to give without expecting anything in return is to give anonymously. This way, your identity as a giver will be concealed and there’s no way praise or admiration will come back to you. For instance, you can give to a charitable organization such as UNICEF anonymously and donate what it is you can. Donate an amount comfortable with you, and move on. Do not try to follow up on what your money is used for or all of that. Just give and do it with an open heart and move on. Do this a few times over a few years and you’ll have learned how to give without expecting anything in return.
True Satisfaction Comes from Giving
Give. Philanthropy is one of the best ways, if not the best, to feel satisfied that you are doing something that is positively impacting the world. You can have all the money in the world and buy everything you can imagine but you will never feel truly satisfied and impactful if you don’t give. Therefore, give and do it from an open, clean heart without expecting even the slightest thing in return.
Philanthropy as a Way of Paying It Forward
Paying it forward is doing good as a way to appreciate the good that was done to you. For instance, maybe someone got you a job and instead of rewarding them, you can find someone else a job. This way, you’ll have paid it forward. Philanthropy, in this sense, can be a very effective way of paying it forward through giving. You are blessed and one of the best ways to give and pay it forward is to be a blessing to others and to give without expecting anything in return.
My Experience: How I Give Without Expecting Anything
You know how we creators sometimes fall into the pit of expecting love, attention, and money for our efforts? Well, I do not subscribe to that. I just give, whatever medium I am using, I just give. Sometimes it is unideal when I give so much and get nothing in return, but I just give. I just take my laptop, camera, microphone, whatever, and just pour my heart out. It doesn’t really matter what I get and I know I love what I do because I would do it without getting anything in return.
