I just found this article that takes a look at the various income brackets in the U.S. and their average giving percentages. It turns out – which may or may not be a surprise – that the poor are the most generous in terms of percentage of income given.
“In fact, America’s poor donate more, in percentage terms, than higher-income groups do, surveys of charitable giving show. What’s more, their generosity declines less in hard times than the generosity of richer givers does.”
I found it interesting that the two most common reasons that the poor gave were…
An understanding of sowing and reaping
“I believe that the more I give, the more I receive, and that God loves a cheerful giver,” Davis said. “Plus I’ve been in their position, and someday I might be again.”
Less fear about money than the rich
Herbert Smith, 31, a Seventh-day Adventist who said he tithed his $1,010 monthly disability check — giving away 10 percent of it — thought that poor people give more because, in some ways, they worry less about their money.
“We’re not scared of poverty the way rich people are,” he said. “We know how to get the lights back on when we can’t pay the electric bill.”
What Jesus had to say about it…
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4
Related posts:
- The Widow’s Mite and how to help when you need help
- Government redistribution of wealth: Is it right?
- Is Capitalism “Anti-Jesus”?
- 6 reasons for giving more in 2009
- Budgeting for giving
- Can you fit through the eye of a needle?
- Can a Camel fit through a Needle?
- Should you give to beggars?
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Thanks for highlighting this article. My experiences affirms the observations of this article. I work with a church in a third world country, Papua New Guinea. The minimum wage is .35 USD per hour. Most of our church members work at that wage. Over the last few years I have learned important lessons about giving and generosity from the worlds poor. Lessons I never learned while living in North American in the midst of the wealthy.
Is it surprising that no group contributes close to 10%? What does that tell us about our nation as a whole, Biblical or not?
Interesting research.
I’ve always wondered myself why those with the least seem to give the most. I remember seeing the old ladies in my church gladly filling the offering plates when most of them were on social security or other similar fixed incomes, while getting money from the younger affluent couples was like getting water from a rock.
Traveling I’ve also been amazed at seeing the greatest generosity come from people who live in the poorest countries.
I surmise that one of the reasons that the poor give more has to do with empathy. If you are poor you better understand the importance of helping out people in a similar situation as yours.
Another reason may be that being poor makes you truly find those things that fulfill you and make you truly happy like spending time with family, taking walks, or laughing with friends. Money begins to take on less importance in your happiness and thus is easier to part with.
Regardless your posting has made me re-examine how much I give as well =)
For more ideas on giving cheerfully, you may want to visit http://www.cheerfulgivers.org
Great article.
My folks always made me give 10% of everything I earned (allowance, lawn mowing, etc) and there was always enough left over to do with what I want. No matter how much I made.
It’s during the times I have not given 10% that I was always short or tight on money.
This is a case of someone taking a notion and making a chart around it. I believe that because I just finished studying the topic in sociology and saw no less than 2 charts and 1 detailed report that state something different that this chart. That material claims that the middle-class gives more as a percentage of income, followed by the rich, and then the poor.
I also wonder, how many of the poor are charitable givers while receiving welfare and food stamps? Giving a large percentage, say, of your earned income, isn’t difficult when you don’t have much of an earned income but still receive money.
Just a thought.
“The love of money is the root of all evil.” It seems as people accumulate more wealth, they’re perhaps faced with heavier temptation and duty of what to do with it. By these numbers, it appears they’re not following God’s commandments on the situation. Anyone seen the movie, “The Ultimate Gift?” Great movie on this topic.
That was an excellent article. We found it (thanks to your mentioning it) and everyone at my office passed it around (I work at a non profit Christian radio station). Glad you pointed this out!
thats why the rich stay rich and the poor get poorer depends on the richness that your looking for
some can be blessed for giving more