“What we call liberality is seldom more than the vanity of giving; we are fonder of the vanity than the generosity of the action.”
François de La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680) in Day’s Collacon compiled and arranged by Edward Parsons Day (New York: IPPO, 1884) 505.
Another issue the wealthy face is vanity. The Greeks described it as “love of glory” and in antiquity (NT times) it was the primary motivation for giving. It’s the praise associated with acts of generosity. With this statement, the wealthy are challenged to consider what motivates their generosity and forewarned lest vanity become the driving force.
Why warn the wealthy of the danger of vanity linked to generosity? The heart of the matter is all that matters to God.
Does vanity motivate our generosity? We must neither give to receive the praise of men (cf. Matthew 6:1-4), nor think that the good we do for God wins us any favor with God (cf. Matthew 7:21-23). Our generosity must be motivated by humble obedience, not glory-seeking vanity.
Simultaneously, those in ministry must not shower praises on people for their giving. In other words, don’t add fuel to vanity’s fire! Instead, correspondence from ministry leaders must inform people that generous giving results in needs being met and thanks and praise going toward God (cf. 2 Corinthians 9:12-15). For more on this, check out my recent Christian Leadership Alliance blogpost: Watch Your Language!