Giving without feeling deprived

Charity with an open heart, without resentment

Everyone acknowledges that it’s good to give.

All religious traditions have a charitable component. And many atheist and agnostic philosophers and thinkers also believe in generosity.

I am a Christian, and I know those of my faith are called to something called agape love. We are to love others the way God loves us, unselfishly and without stinting.

In reality, human beings fall far short of this. As I say in another article, I think only dogs live up to this divine ideal.

It’s not just that we don’t give, it’s that we don’t want to give. Yet in order for charity to be meaningful, it must be done without resentment, with an open heart.

There are parables in the Bible where it talks about giving everything we have. Does this mean that all of us have to take vows of poverty?

Should we feel guilty if, thanks to our hard work and talents, we are rewarded with material benefits like a nice house or a great vacation? Or, at the other end of the spectrum, if we are broke students or single mothers, should we feel resentful that we are called to give when we can barely pay our own bills?

The reality is that charity should not be a burden. It is a gift not just to the…