You don't even notice. A poor person finds it, uses it to buy food, and sustains themselves. Did you just perform an act of charity?
That's precisely the scenario that Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah explores in Sifrei Devarim 283.
He asks: where do we learn that if someone accidentally drops a sela (an ancient coin), and a poor person finds it and uses it to feed themselves, it's considered by Scripture as if the original owner had intentionally given it as charity?
His answer lies in the verse from Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 24:19): "to the stranger, to the orphan, and to the widow shall it be, so that the L-rd your G-d will bless you." This verse refers to the laws of shikchah, the forgotten sheaf. Farmers were commanded to leave behind any forgotten sheaves in the field for the poor to collect. The Torah promises blessing for this act of unintentional giving.
Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah uses a powerful argument a fortiori – a method of logical inference. He argues, if unintentionally giving, through shikchah, is accounted by Scripture as if one had intentionally given – and merits a blessing – then how much greater must be the reward for someone who intends to give and actually does give?
Think about the ripple effect of our actions, intended or not. This passage suggests that even unintentional acts of kindness can have profound consequences and that the Divine sees not just the action, but also the potential for good within it. It’s a powerful reminder that even when we don't see the direct impact of our actions, they can still contribute to a world of blessing.