“To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving.” —Max Beerbohm
Think about it:
Money matters can be a considerable cause for concern, and taking care of our financial needs can take up a lot of our time. Bills need to be paid, there are mouths to be fed, retirement to think about, and the list goes on. Sometimes these money worries can become almost overwhelming.
This was true for the directors of several orphanages, who both lived in 19th century England. One of them, Charles, ran a campaign to raise the sum of 300 pounds—which is worth many times that today—to meet the urgent financial needs of the orphanage he supported. The night he reached his goal, he went to bed a contented man. But before he could go to sleep, he had the distinct impression that he should give those 300 pounds to his friend and colleague, George, for his orphanages in Bristol.
“But,” Charles protested, “I need that money for my orphans in London.” Unable to sleep, Charles wrestled with the idea for a while, until he decided to give the money to George. The next morning, he made his way to George’s home. “George, I could not go to sleep last night until I decided to give you these 300 pounds,” he told him. Stunned, George exclaimed, “How did you know? I needed that exact amount to keep my orphanages open!”
Charles was happy for his friend, but still a bit discouraged about his own situation. When he returned to London, however, he found a letter waiting for him on his desk. It contained a donation of 300 guineas (one guinea was worth one pound and one shilling) designated for his orphanage. The 300 pounds he had given was returned to him with 300 shillings interest!
Our giving may not always be rewarded in exactly the same way, or in exactly the way we’d like or think we need, but as was the case in this story, I truly believe that we never lose by giving.