Do we get rewarded in this life for the things we do?

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Recently I gave money to a charity.

It was a sacrifice. It was money I could have used for something nice for myself. But on that particular day I took that money and gave it to a charity I support because I thought that was the right thing to do.

Do you think that in some way we get paid back in this life for the things we do? Specifically, when we give up material things for ourselves to help others. Maybe, when we give money to a charity (or, for example, to help a relative in need) something good will happen in our lives (maybe not material gain) to compensate?

I realize of course that we shouldn’t good things just for that reason; we should do them because it’s the right thing to do.

Any thoughts on this?
 
Perhaps, some reward comes in this life, even if only good feelings…but not always.
A certain amount of prudence is necessary. A person needs to make some preparation for a potentially-changed future.
Recently there was a poster who is in a desperate financial situation, and unexpectedly broken health where he’s on the verge of homelessness, after supporting another family and helping them to get their home.
This is not the first time a member has come to this level of desperation;
and I saw this happen to an uncle and aunt.
Definitely be charitable and giving as Jesus calls us to be.

There is a little lesson on airplanes. We are always advised to put on our own oxygen mask first, so we can then assist others.
If we don’t we may end up unable to help anyone anyway.

However this could be take too far and we might think we need to amass a fortune before helping others. Not so.
We must help others as much as we can, but be prudent enough not to leave ourselves unable to provide for ourselves, at the risk of being a drain on the welfare system ourselves.
There is a balance and a prudence that s required,
because if you give so much that you end up destitute, there is often no one to come to your aid in your desperation.

It’s doesn’t automatically work that we receive in return for past generosity. There is often no one there for us. Just as there was no one here for my husband and I when we lost our home when the interest rates were highest ever and my husband was seriously ill, we survived thanks to welfare, as I couldn’t get enough work, but we’ll never have our own home again, and I do so miss having space for visiting family, and not having a garden, which was my favorite creative joy.
 
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“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it to me.’”

Matthew 25:35-40 (ESV)
 
The benefit to oneself of giving to those in need is internal. Doing good works for others draws our attention away from ourselves (our selfishness, self-centeredness, or self-absorption) and toward relationship and solidarity with our fellow man. That leads to rewards in this life.

Other good works may have more direct material benefits. However, it’s easier for me to understand it as the converse, that bad works have adverse material consequences, e.g., stealing may result in violence, or promiscuity may result in disease.
 
People do get rewards in this life for the things they do. And while earthly rewards are nice, I would rather store up my treasure in Heaven where the rewards are eternal.
 
Trishie said:
Perhaps, some reward comes in this life, even if only good feelings…but not always.
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RandomAlias said:
The benefit to oneself of giving to those in need is internal. Doing good works for others draws our attention away from ourselves (our selfishness, self-centeredness, or self-absorption) and toward relationship and solidarity with our fellow man. That leads to rewards in this life.

Other good works may have more direct material benefits. However, it’s easier for me to understand it as the converse, that bad works have adverse material consequences, e.g., stealing may result in violence, or promiscuity may result in disease.
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Good points.

Giving to charity might have an effect on my priorities. It might get me to start feeling good about how my money is going to support someone in need, because of a decision I made, and I might think, “You know, that material thing I wanted really wasn’t so important after all by comparison.”

And the converse: if I kept the money in the bank or used it for material things, it might help lead to my obsessing over material wealth or material things.
 
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If we are in a state of grace while doing good works, we gain merit. Merit raises our glory in Heaven. Everything we labor for on earth is labored in order to taste the sweetness of Heaven.

I heard of a saint who was deceased that if she were allowed to pray one Hail Mary to gain that small amount of merit, she would endure all the worst punishments on earth.

I have not found anything of rewards on earth because this world is simply a passing one.
 
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The continuation of our lives, and of those whom we love is but one form of repayment. Do the evil also persist? Yes, but they lack hope - the second theological virtue.
 
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