The act of giving may come from a selfish place. Before you react, pause and reflect on this. Why do we give? Because it causes us to feel good. A seemingly selfless act can have selfish underpinings. In fact, Mother Theresa often referred to herself as ”the most selfish person in the world.”  

Be cautious when donating. While on the surface it may seem as though you are doing good, have you evaluated the repercussions? If you give someone food, do you take away their ability to provide for themselves? If you give someone money, do you rob their dignity? If you donate clothing, do you steal the motivation to be self-sufficient? Are you giving? Or taking?

A hand up is different than a handout.

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and you have fed him for a lifetime.” — ancient Chinese proverb