Give to Get or Give to Give

As I write this article, my son is adding to his scout service hours. He is giving of his time to his Boy Scout troop by helping with a food drive for the poor. I’m sooooo very proud of him for signing up to do this. He is giving to give without expressly expecting something in return. The return, service hours, was baked into a voluntary event. As a conscientious person, my son will put far more work in than the benefit of counting hours.

How many of us could learn from this example? Give to give not give to get. Many of us already have “baked in benefits” in the service we give to others. It truly is more blessed to give than to receive, Acts 20:35, and we need look no further than the gold standard of giving in John 3:16. Giving is true its own reward. 

As difficult as it is in these trying times to consider others better than ourselves with the true intent of bettering others and not just our own selfish worries, may we step out of ourselves and give to give. 

I’m proud of my son and hope to emulate this good quality in him.