I love to give…now I don’t say this with any sense of pride . I derive genuine joy from seeing a need and being able to meet it. I realised that one of my callings is helping and so I do so…with a lot of joy I might add
Now just the other day, I was planning to do something for a friend and as usual, was discussing the matter with myself (don’t judge, una dey do am too). In the course of my conversation, I said “Afterall, you’d do the same for me…” and then I paused as I realised that as a matter of fact…this friend would not do the same for me…it got me thinking…
What are your motivations for giving? Do you give only as an investment? Expecting returns? Is it ok to give even to people that wouldn’t do the same back for you? Or is it wisdom not to waste a gift on someone who wouldn’t reciprocate?
I spent sometime puzzling this because – as much as I want to give, I don’t want to waste the resources that God gives me to be a blessing with. I am a store keeper and I must manage these resources in such a way that it honours Him…I thought of verses like ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive” I also thought of ‘Do not cast your pearls before swine”
While I acknowledge that I probably need more balance in my approach to giving, I also don’t want to become so calculated in my giving that I need a balance sheet before I do…
So over to you guys? How do you approach giving? What guides your decisions? Would love to hear from you, so share!
menoword 
I’ve been mulling this over since I read it…& now I’m in the middle of a devotion & Abba gave me the answer I was looking for. Naturally I had to share it. It’s from proverbs 3:27 & 8…but especially 27.”Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to act.”
I think that sums it up nicely. If I have the means & the intended recipient is deserving then I kinda have no right to withhold good.
It really boils down to the type of giving being done….They say, the joy is in giving to those who will never be able to pay you back- If someone is truly deserving of what you have to offer, then you wouldn’t need to think twice about it…Being a blessing is value enough so I consider that charitable giving-
In the event you have to weigh out the pros and cons of offering your resources, It would be considered a “one hand washes the other” type of giving. With this form of giving, there’s nothing wrong with expecting something in return- In fact, I see it as an investment rather… #don’t we all want a considerable ROI?
When I give from the heart, I give freely and never expect anything in return. I also give to and support those with a sense of purpose, which sometimes may mean favors in return, however what I will never do, is donate to the Leech foundation-