Every year, the Widow's Mite at work all over again.
Every December at work, I take up a collection from my co-workers to make small cash gifts to our support staff (the folks who empty our trash, clean our bathrooms, replace our light fixtures, provide Dumpsters for office cleanings, etc.). I say this not to toot my horn but to illustrate a point of human nature as true as when Jesus commented on it at the temple cash box:
I used to do these little cash gifts by myself, but when two of my co-workers found out they said "Why didn't you ask us to help?" They were right: Because I started asking others to chip in, the last two years we've been able to give everyone more money than when I was doing it on my own. A lot of my co-workers, these two women included, are very happy to donate to show our gratitude to the staff (and these contract workers are very happy to get a little extra money during the holidays).
These two women who scolded me for not asking them for contributions, and who were the first two to open their purses and contribute? Just happened to be two women who once regaled each other in the break room about the delicious dinners their moms made with government cheese when they were kids. They'd grown up poor enough to qualify for food handouts.
Meanwhile, there's a couple of guys in the office who continually brag to each other about the cool (and expensive) new electronic doohickeys they've just bought for themselves over the weekend - the latest iWhatever, a bigger flatscreen TV, you name it. Funny how these guys are always Too Broke Right Now when I come looking for contributions. (One of these charmers joked about the staff "always taking OUR money": I acidly reminded Diamond Jim that HE'D never chipped in a red cent so he had no right to complain.)
It's honestly true: if you want to see generosity in action, look to poor people, not the rich.
I used to do these little cash gifts by myself, but when two of my co-workers found out they said "Why didn't you ask us to help?" They were right: Because I started asking others to chip in, the last two years we've been able to give everyone more money than when I was doing it on my own. A lot of my co-workers, these two women included, are very happy to donate to show our gratitude to the staff (and these contract workers are very happy to get a little extra money during the holidays).
These two women who scolded me for not asking them for contributions, and who were the first two to open their purses and contribute? Just happened to be two women who once regaled each other in the break room about the delicious dinners their moms made with government cheese when they were kids. They'd grown up poor enough to qualify for food handouts.
Meanwhile, there's a couple of guys in the office who continually brag to each other about the cool (and expensive) new electronic doohickeys they've just bought for themselves over the weekend - the latest iWhatever, a bigger flatscreen TV, you name it. Funny how these guys are always Too Broke Right Now when I come looking for contributions. (One of these charmers joked about the staff "always taking OUR money": I acidly reminded Diamond Jim that HE'D never chipped in a red cent so he had no right to complain.)
It's honestly true: if you want to see generosity in action, look to poor people, not the rich.