The art and heart of giving

Giving is the locus of life without which no one would be here. Consider how much parents give to raise a child from infantry to adulthood. This essentially means that giving and loving are siamese twins; deeply intertwined and difficult to separate. 

Parents give a lot to raise a child to adulthood

But not all giving is sparked by love. There's giving driven by selfish motives. Like a guy who bought a phone to a girl he 'loved' but when she turned down his sexual advances he demanded his gift back. 

Then there's quid pro quo giving; you give me I give you. This kind of giving is devoid of love; it's more like barter-trade. The politicians are the masters of this art of giving. It has even crept into some churches with 'men of God' insisting that God cannot work unless you "plant a seed" as if God's love is glaringly conditional.

How do you tell genuine giving? 

Well, if you give without telling the whole world, and if you don't complain to all and sundry about how you give to people who never appreciate, then you are giving from the heart. 

Giving with love involves a bit of sacrifice. Like the old widow who gave away the only two coins she had, you can be poor but still joyously and generously give from your little. 

Giving that reflects loving goes with excellence. When you decide to give somebody a shirt from your wardrobe, you don't pick the worn out, but one of your favourites just like the Biblical Abel offered the best lamb. 

Giving is easier caught than taught; everyone can learn to give. Giving that is not arty but hearty, giving of our free will, according to what we have, attracts great blessings: financial and other, so let's be generous givers.