好心需要好报吗? Let me ask … is it kindness or is it business?

Lately a friend asked me to donate some money to help a person who was very ill and needed some financial assistance to get proper medical care. I gave whatever I can afford and my friend thanked me and said … "好心有好报" … meaning if you do something good, you will get good returns.

I asked her … "好心需要好报吗?"

Then I told her …"好心不需要好报"  … she looked at me strangely and asked me why? I did not explain then … just said that I do not need any form of returns whatsoever.

It is very common to hear people say … "好心有好报"… but the way I see it, when you do something to help the needy or the unfortunates … don’t expect anything in return. When you offer to help someone or provide for the needy or do charity activities thinking that there will be some form of returns … that is NOT kindness, that is business.

Is it kindness or is it business ?

Why are we giving and why are we helping? Because we have enough, because we are able to and because we want to. Because others must have helped us already in some points of our lives and in some sort of ways … directly or indirectly so that we are now able, capable and have enough to help to others. Really, we received the "好报" already.

So, when we do "好心" … we don’t need to ask for "好报" anymore … we just hope that the person that we helped will in turn help other unfortunate people as and when he or she becomes able and capable. I think that is how it should work.

The next time when you offer to help or provide for the needy or donate to charity … don’t expect anything in return in any form whatsoever … if you do, you are not doing kindness … you are doing business.

Remember … "好心不需要好报"