UPDATED Oct. 16

Make a donation to Compassion International through our Facebook Cause.

The 2009 America’s Giving Challenge has begun, and through the Giving Challenge, the Case Foundation will give away a total of $170,000 in daily and overall prizes to non-profits over the next month.

America’s Giving Challenge offers Compassion a great opportunity to demonstrate the worthiness of using social media in pursuit of our mission, and it offers you a chance to make a significant difference on behalf of that mission:

In response to the Great Commission, Compassion International exists as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults.

America’s Giving Challenge – How Does It Work?

• The Giving Challenge runs from Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. ET to Nov. 6, 2009 at 3 p.m. ET.
• Each day the Case Foundation will award a prize to the cause that has the most individual donors* on that day, not the most money raised.

• $1,000 each day to the cause with the most unique donations that day.
• $500 each day to the cause with the second most unique donations that day.

• $50,000 to the cause with the highest number of unique daily donations over the 30 days.
• $25,000 to the cause with the second highest number of unique daily donations over the 30 days.
• $10,000 each to the next five causes with the highest number of unique daily donations over the 30 days.

America’s Giving Challenge – How You Can Support Compassion International (more…)

Forgive me for being somewhat confused. Oprah’s “The Big Give” TV show debuted on Sunday night to huge ratings – 15.6 million viewers – a huge hit for the ABC suits.

The show bases its obvious popularity on the benefits found in giving to the less fortunate, the causes of the broken and down-trodden. The reality of a nation in love with some one else’s reality, are we now minimizing the beauty of giving by watching philanthropy become the latest opportunity/victim to claim fame over?

In the series opener, Oprah meets the ten contestants and gives each an envelope with only the name and picture of a stranger whose lives they must forever change. Each contestant must use the resources awarded to them to drastically improve the life of their assigned person within five days, making the participant cope with the stress by using strategy and creativity.

As a professional whose work is involved in the cultivation of hearts that choose to give, I am torn between rejoicing at this opportunity to promote altruism and frustration that we have somehow made the sacred art of giving the impetus of yet another reality show.

Are we trivializing giving or promoting it? Are we advancing a cause or witnessing the thrill of someone fortunate enough to win their opportunity at personal wealth? I place myself in the homes of countless donors who have sacrificed their time and energy to bless the causes dear to their heart and wonder if somehow we have made their desire to give less impactful and certainly less noble. But why should I even worry?

I am reminded of Paul in his letter to the Philippians who when asked if it was right for others in the jail to promote the cause of Christ said flatly – as long as Christ is preached I rejoice.

By no means am I comparing Paul’s ministry to the modern reality show based on the hope of Oprah, but my confusion becomes more an opportunity to rejoice and reconsider. If my vocation requires me to hold in high esteem the end result of gifts given to benefit others, then shows that promote the same should have my support and not my condemnation. Like Paul demonstrated, I can not be the ultimate jury on someone’s motivation and heart — even if a million dollar prize lies on the other side of their motivation. My professional covenant to honor Christ and enhance relationships to the causes of His kingdom are not license to be critical of another’s rationale for serving, helping and loving.

I think I will reconsider what I view next Sunday. Perhaps less judgemental  and suspicious, I will pause to rejoice at what is being said to millions of people who may not have realized that the sacred art of giving comes not in the promotion of self but in loving our neighbor well. In stooping to provide a hand even when the cameras have all been turned off.

Ken Norwood serves as Compassion’s Director of Development for the East Region of the United States. His work allows him to connect donors to the work and mission of Compassion by aligning them with areas of funding and support beyond child sponsorship.