[March 30, 2024] As a young child, I was encouraged by my Dad to put money into the collection plate during church services. As a curious kid, I found the courage to ask Pastor John why. He told me something I’d never forget, “Douglas, there are people who need you, and they may not survive without your charity.” He also referred to the Old Testament, which speaks of “tithing” as a way to give to the Lord.
Some folks reject this line of reasoning because they view religion as an out-of-date set of beliefs that no longer reflect the values and realities of the modern world. While there is an excellent point to be made here, I think their logic flounders on the shores of human nature. Some people need help, and we don’t always know who they are, why, or what their needs are. This need is an inevitable fact of life.
We must support one another, especially in times of tragedy or evil. And there is real evil that lurks in the shadows. Charity – giving to others or helping those in need – is now and always has been something we are driven to believe in. Historically, we often see this in Western values, such as in the defense of the weak and infirm.
Charity extends beyond giving money, as I believed in as a kid in church, since it also means assisting in other ways. However, one necessary point is that the person or people in need must realize they need your help and appreciate what is provided. Otherwise, your charity is not charity but seen as pandering.
Each Sunday, I gave money to my church. In the beginning, I gave up because my Dad encouraged me. I was earning money early in my young life by working part-time jobs, and I was working hard for very little. I could not see how giving some of it away helped at all.
One day, Pastor John took me to a bayou where an impoverished family lived. They had a bunch of kids, and the young boys were walking around wearing no clothes. I was shocked people lived like this. Their home was a dilapidated dump without running water, electricity, or any modern conveniences my family and I possessed. I was beginning to think that charity had a purpose and could see it with my own eyes.
Charity is in our souls. Without it, we will be lost.
—————
Listen to the song that topped the iTunes chart. Link here.
—————
Please read my books:
Another wonderful piece. Thank you for the advice.
Gen. Satterfield, thanks for this new series of yours. Just a couple articles in and I’m already on board and can’t wait for more of them. I hope you do one on owning guns, kinda like you did in your series on “Letters to My Granddaughter.” Now that series is also great and please keep it going but this new series, using your experience, is going to be a real zinger (meaning great). Thanks for what you do and keep up the great works you are doing for us.
The saying, “Charity begins at home”, means that we should help our own family members and relatives financially and in other ways—BEFORE we help outsiders and strangers. “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Thank you, Eddie and Happy Easter.
Mr. Eddie, you are spot on with your comment. BTW, I love your articles. 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
Excellent article my friend. Charity. Charity is love in motion. Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
The Bible encourages us to be generous with others as we are able and willing within our possessions and hearts. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advises people that when they give to charity should do so in secret and not show off about it. The idea is that giving should come from a willing heart and not from someone who is just trying to make themselves look better.
More great advice from Gen. Satterfield, nothing like a great article to start my day.
The Kid, YEP, and a good reason to get up in the morning, get a cup of hot java (coffee), and relax with my dog and computer to read Gen. Satterfield’s newest article. Also, don’t forget to read his two DAILY FAVORITEs as well. In these sometimes you can see where Gen. Satterfield gets his ideas from and a look at his logic. Sometimes, we are surprised by what he can write and the latest “Letters to My Granddaughter” is one of the more popular series that we are given to enjoy. 👀
EVIL, know it for what it is and be prepared to fight it. That means you have to be strong. Otherwise evil wins.
Gen. Satterfield is not just giving advice to young men (and to everyone for that matter) but he is telling us WHY the advice works and mixing in his experiences.
“One day, Pastor John took me to a bayou where an impoverished family lived. They had a bunch of kids, and the young boys were walking around wearing no clothes. I was shocked people lived like this. Their home was a dilapidated dump without running water, electricity, or any modern conveniences my family and I possessed. I was beginning to think that charity had a purpose and could see it with my own eyes. Charity is in our souls. Without it, we will be lost.” —- Gen. Doug Satterfield. Sir, you are doing us a great service by giving us both your experiences and what you learned about how to be a truly good person (ha ha ha, despite your ‘independent’ streak).
… FYI to all, I’m not the Pastor John in his story. I’m just a fan of Gen. Satterfield.
🙏🏼 Thanks Pastor John, I was wondering about that. 🙏🏼 Bless you sir and Rev. Cain too. 🙏🏼 We are all children of God and his blessings are on us. 🙏🏼 We just have to believe in HIm and believe that we can be a good person too. 🙏🏼
😎👀🤣❤✔🤦♀️ Great!
Good man, Gen. Satterfield for telling us the basis of charity. And, “Charity starts at home.” Don’t forget that.
Bless you Gen. Satterfield for the push to give good advice to young men, those who our society has been dismissing and trashing now for over a decade, but in particular this has ramped up since crazy, crook Joey Biden has been in office.
Yep, you nailed it Pink Cloud. I’m pretty happy about this new series myself. Once Gen. S. gets a number of the articles published, I’ll be sending them off to my cousin (who is an idiot but might come around). THANKS!
Loved this article and as a young man, you are encouraging me too to be a better person.
“55 Rules for a Good Life” – a fantastic book
https://www.amazon.com/55-Rules-Good-Life-Responsibility/dp/1737915529/
😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
“The essence of generosity for a leader is to ensure every single day that leader does their very best possible. The most important part of being the very best means recognizing that everyone has a need to grow and that it is a leader’s duty to help build others up and help them grow as individuals. In business, this is what we often refer to as “taking care of our employees.”” – Gen. Doug Satterfield, the man who is writing at his very best under the article that Neuvo Byrd links to. Thanks Gen. Satterfield for the great works you do.
Thanks, you got that right Qassim. Gen. Satterfield has been on this topic now for some time. Giving advice to young men is his beginning of not just a new series but the way I see it, he is gearing up for a new book. Maybe? The fact that Gen. S. is a great American Patriot, like me and so many others, makes me anticipate his next move.
Characteristic# 104: Generosity
https://www.theleadermaker.com/characteristic-104-generosity/
Let’s not forget that this is not a new theme from Gen. Satterfield. See this article for more information.
Thanks, Nuevo Byrd, and welcome aboard. I enjoyed writing this book, and hope you enjoy it.
Welcome NB. I hope you also contribute to the discussions here in Gen. Satterfield’s leadership forum, where you can learn not just how to be a good or great leader, but how to be a better person. That is the purpose of this new series. Also, if you have suggestions or questions, you can put them out here for others to give feedback on and help you too. We are not just passive readers of the blog but active participants in helping others.
DPG, don’t forget to say that one of Gen. Satterfield’s best pieces of advice is in his book ’55 Rules for a Good Life.” Now there you can find all sorts of advice.