I have 9750 sats - I did not fund the channel, I did not fund my node. All I did was talk. :) So I totally get what you mean. Getting my first zap felt kinda awkward at first; people threw cents at me for talking, and those cents eventually accumulated... a lot.
Still not a big fan of how Lightning works - but the concept itself of being paid for being around and contributing, neigh-instantly and directly, is amazing. It's the kind of micro-transactions I like. ^^