Tag: greed

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motivation

Do You Volunteer For the Right Reasons?

Cartoon of a burglar who says, "I'd love to volunteer, but I only want to count the money."

It was great to see nonprofits and volunteers help ease the pain through the coronavirus pandemic. It’s safe to say most people don’t volunteer for the money like our guy in today’s cartoon. But do you volunteer for the right reasons? And does the motivation matter?

Some volunteer projects can be gross. Others have nice perks like donuts. There are projects that put a spotlight on the volunteers while others faithfully serve in the background. As this article shows, Our motivations to volunteer can be quite varied. Do these factors matter?

As long as something good is coming out of volunteering, motives may take a back seat. However, we know of stories where someone appeared to be doing something for altruistic motives and they ended up embezzling or taking advantage of someone or a group of people.

Cartoon of a burglar who says, "I'd love to volunteer, but I only want to count the money."
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motivation

Greed and Poverty

Cartoon of a boy and a bank teller. The boy says, "How greedy do you have to be to work here?"

Greed is not exclusive to the rich or poor. Yet, I see a connection between greed and poverty. It may not have anything to do with physical wealth.

Several months back, I read an article that stated upper-middle-class and upper-class families were hoarding wealth because they feared it could disappear at any time. Burglaries and theft occur in poorer neighborhoods because someone feels they deserve more than their neighbor and feel justified in taking it from them.

At the same time, I have felt encouraged and emboldened when a story comes out about a generous person. The story may focus on a rich individual, but also may feature a middle-class or poor person that gave out of the generosity of their heart. 

Greed is less about the pursuit of having enough and more about a scarcity mindset that makes the person feel justified in taking from another.

Greedy people try to get rich quick but don’t realize they’re headed for poverty.

Proverbs 28:22 (NLT)
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cartoon children cartoons Christmas holiday

Christmas Competition

Cartoon of Santa and a boy. Santa Claus says, “It’s not a competition. And no, I won’t tell you what Bobby is getting.”Most kids aren’t as brash as this little guy. But this time of year, it gets easy to compare and wonder if Bobby is getting as much or more than the rest of us.

However, Christmas is not a competition. The only way to experience it with joy is to remember the first Christmas gift. After that first gift, nothing else comes close.

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Career Christmas holiday

Black Friday Pilgrim Style!

Cartoon of a shopping couple. The man says, "This isn't the kind of pilgrimage they had in mind in 1621."

If you were Black Friday shopping today, my hat goes off to you! Me? I’m hunkering down and waiting for the crowds to subside before I do some Christmas shopping. December 23 at 11:55 PM  sounds like a good time to start!

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Easter holiday

Easter Egg Quota

Cartoon of a boy and girl with Easter egg baskets. The boy says, "It was a great Easter egg hunt, but it fell short of my quota."Easter egg hunts are great lessons on survival of the fittest. Young kids learn right away that the big, older kids will take no prisoners, but they will take all of the Easter eggs. Parents scope out the competition and will plot, block and intimidate the older kids while their little one tries to discern an Easter egg from a twig.

Meanwhile, the older kids begin trash talking their peers about their lack of egg-grabbing ability. the avarice and cutthroat competition is on display for everyone to see. It’s an example of what happens when you commercialize a religious holiday. So if you’re conducting an Easter egg Egg-stravaganza this week, be sure to find some ways to even the playing field and minimize the competition between the preschoolers and the preteens. Sure, maybe everyone won’t get their quota, but their may be fewer broken hearts and empty plastic Easter eggs.