When is a “charitable act” truly a “charitable act”?

Question from the Internet:

“Why is a charitable act that goes unnoticed worth nothing unless it’s publicised in the eyes of others?”

This is a complicated question. Obviously, in any society, a positive example is the greatest motivator and “educational tool”. So doing charitable acts for the purpose of showing a positive example to inspire others to perform charitable acts also is a very good thing.

On the other hand, if the person wants to make sure that one’s charitable act does not go unnoticed so the person would get recognition and respect, then it stops being a charitable act altogether. Then it just becomes another self-serving and self-justifying act that is performed through the external clothing of “charity”.

Thus we need a unique method to learn how to show positive examples to others while keeping a totally humble and altruistic intention, so even the respect and recognition one receives for the open charitable act is returned to the act itself, praising and recognizing those one’s act is performed towards.

One needs to reach a very serious level of self-annulment in order to become able to help others, guide and serve others openly without taking and consuming any credit one receives for such work. This requires a unique method and a supportive and mutually complementing environment so the person could always feel as the smallest, most undeserving among all.

Then the intoxicating pleasure and reward one feels from helping and serving others will not make the person “drunk” from that pleasure and reward, but the pleasure and reward only serve as fuel to become even more selfless, altruistic and serving others.