motives

What [De]Motivates You to Give?

Posted in generosity, giving, language, money, motives, nakedpastor, power of words on September 17th, 2008 by Steve Bradley – Be the first to comment

David Hayward (nakedpastor) had a post yesterday on Marketing Compassion that got me thinking. The subject of his post is a film called “The Story of a Sign” — which I blogged about a month or so ago, using it as an example of the power of words.

David had a different take, however, and raises some interesting questions about what motivates us to give:

Is charity stimulated by compassion or good marketing? I wonder if it could be both….

What inspires us to be generous? What are the underlying issues we have with money that we aren’t free to give it away without some kind of poignant provocation?

One answer for me can be found in my earlier post on giving as a tax or investment. I hate paying taxes, but I love making investments. So I find myself more willing to give to a person or a ministry when I have a sense that my gift will:

  • bring benefit, rather than harm
  • dignify, rather than humiliate
  • alleviate suffering, rather than perpetuate it
  • be received thankfully, rather than begrudgingly
  • be valued, rather than discounted
  • be used responsibly, rather than wasted
  • promote freedom, rather than slavery
  • connect and unite, rather than disconnect and divide

What about you? What motivates or demotivates you to give?

Opinioneering

Posted in Northern, Southern, hiding, methods, motives, opinioneering, opinions, rudeness, social graces on July 16th, 2008 by Steve Bradley – Be the first to comment

Here’s an opinionated (though friendly) exchange I had a few years back with a colleague of mine who hailed from North of the Mason Dixon line…

Him — Southerners never tell you their opinion. They’re always hiding something…

Me — Northerners think I’m obliged to hear their opinions, even when I don’t ask for them…

Him — Well, if you don’t tell someone what you really think, then you’re hiding something…

Me — If someone doesn’t ask me for my opinion, then it’s rude for me to force it on them…

Him — Are you saying I’m rude?!!

Me [grinning] — Do you really want to know my opinion?

Weird how quickly we judge someone’s motives based upon differing methods, is it not?

Actually, I’ve learned alot from my “Yankee” friends about being direct and speaking my mind. Still seems a little rude at times, though…

What’s your opinion? Do you freely share your opinion? How well do you receive the opinions of others?