What causes individuals to treat you differently when they discover that you have more money?

Recently, I acquired some money from my mother's will after her ping more than eleven years ago. The interest rising from the time spent in escrow has caused the amount to skyrocket. I was always a low profile individual, but extremely talented and a trifle low in self-esteem. I told one individual and requested that she say nothing until everything was settled and I have made all of the necessary arrangements with the banks, investors, etc. Now I hear everyone's financial woes (subtly of course) and i am treated with such royal treatment. I wonder what the motive is. Money only makes you a rich fool if you were a poor one before, and a mean rich when you were a poor mean individual. i am neither, but I have given so much even when i had little money and i want to continue to give, but to those who are in need or if I feel to give. Why coheres?