Nearly everyone you know has taken a beating in the stock market in the last two years, and you’re almost ashamed to admit you haven’t done so badly. Maybe you moved your money to commodities just at the right time, got out of oil shares at the peak of the run, or exercised your options very well, if you know what we mean.
However you got it, we have one question for you: How are you giving it away?
Yes, you heard us right … How are you giving your hard-earned money away? If you’re up in a down market, pay it forward and reap the rewards.
When wealthy people earn money, they always pay themselves. When those on the true wealth journey earn money, they also pay it forward. What do we mean by that? It’s pretty simple. Think of the word “tithe” and you get the general idea. Take 10 percent of your profits and invest it in great charities, your church, a missions or humanitarian trip to a Third World country, or service organizations assisting those who need a helping hand.
If the amount you give now doesn’t even make you blink, give until it hurts a little bit. You’ll be surprised at how good it feels.
You will be the one to reap the reward of satisfaction in making a positive difference in the lives of those you touch through your giving.
Your money should work not just for you, but also for the benefit of those less fortunate around you. The American work ethic and the American Dream – that everyone can be what he or she wants to be and each person should pull himself up by his own bootstraps – don’t always hold true. Some people simply can’t make it on their own.
There are single moms who don’t make enough take-home pay to cover their child-care expenses. Some seniors are skipping meals because their retirement accounts took such a beating and they need to buy medicine. There are a half-million children in the Americanfoster-care system who could use new clothes, shoes and technological tools. There are orphaned children in Haiti and African countries eating dirt to fill their empty stomachs.
That’s where your money comes in. Give some of it away. We dare you. If you’re already giving, give some more. If the amount you give now doesn’t even make you blink, give until it hurts a little bit.
You’ll be surprised at how good it feels.
Tags: giving back, philanthropy, tithing