There was a time when people showed kindness for the sole purpose of being kind, not to gain popularity, followers, or endorsements.
Today, the story is entirely different. For almost every act of kindness, there is a camera recording, and by the end of the day, what was meant to be a simple gesture has become a trending topic on social media.
As more people compete for popularity, engagement, and monetized social media handles, every opportunity to help someone becomes another opportunity to gain attention and grow their fame.
Some people even derive pleasure from being acknowledged as the reason someone received help, simply to feed their ego. The likes, comments, and (on monetized accounts) the money that follow may even exceed the amount given to charity.
Still, if I were ever in desperate need and one of these clout chasers offered to help, I would accept. Even among the people we usually turn to when things go wrong, many do not carry cameras, yet still find a way to take the credit for their kindness. Need does not wait for pure motives.
As for motives, there is a place in the Bible that says your left hand should not know what your right hand is giving. In other words, give without seeking credit, even if the recipient eventually appreciates you publicly or privately.
The good news is that, even in the midst of all the noise, there are still people who give without chasing clout, and some whose help is never traced back to them.
I recently saw screenshots on my pastor's status of a post that trended on X, where people celebrated their pastors for acts of kindness they had received. These were needs that only the giver and receiver knew about until the recipients chose to speak up.
So while I will gladly receive help, I pray I never get to a point where someone helps me hoping to gain more views, comments, or likes.
Thanks for stopping by.
Image was generated using AI.