Giving Without Expectation of Return

Giving can be gifts in packages, gifts of money, gifts of time, gifts of love.
There are many kinds of gifts to give!

Today I talked to a friend who shared that she has learned to never give with an expectation of return from anyone but God.  She said that if you give expecting something, you are really doing it for you, and we want to live our lives for God.

Some might feel that it is better to give with an expectation of return than to not give.  I am not so sure.  If we give with an expectation behind it we can resent the person if they don't do what we want.  We were really giving as a form of manipulation -- to try to get that person to be grateful to us, or to love us, or do do something for us in return.

I've talked before about slamming cabinets and dishes around in the kitchen because I was doing them expecting help, or acknowledgement and it didn't come.  I was giving the "gift" of clean dishes but I resented it.  Then I realized this was a choice.  I can do the dishes cheerfully, I can leave those dishes, I can ask someone else to do them, or I can ask someone else to help me.  Any of those choices leave me without resentment for people I love!

God's reward might not be immediate -- but it is there in the peace and joy we get from not having unmet expectations, and from being able to see that we can be kind and helpful and generous just because we are good people!

**Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash