Who is the happiest of men?
He who values the merits of others,
and in their pleasure takes joy,
even as though t’were his own.
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It warms me to remember that there is no competition between God’s children. All of us are special in our own unique God-created way, and one individual’s reflection of God is just as valued, needed and worthy as another’s.
So, when we see another excel, it’s not a reason to cringe and compare, but a call to rejoice and celebrate. They are demonstrating a talent God gave them to express.
It’s not a mark against us for another to excel, even if we are not accomplished in the same way. It’s an opportunity to acknowledge and express gratitude for what God has empowered them to do.
The easier it is for us to find merit in others, the easier it will be for others to find merit in us. And that makes everyone happier.
Wow, this is timely for myself, as an aspiring filmmaker in my off hours from my day job, I started to notice how if any other local independent filmmakers ended up making a really good film or winning awards at festivals and I didnt, how it was starting to and continuing to infuriate me. Realizing this is not the right attitude to take on this, and starting to work on my jealousy issues in regards to others succeeding, this little message above is helping me realize how to look at others “merits” (others success, others advances, others awards, others respect from respected others in an industry)…so thanks for this, I think this is really goin help me let go of this petty jealousy. (which I know is not part of my true being as a spiritual child of God, and part of my inherint identity being in tact, was recognizing that this human attitude, was wrong from the beginng, I was just being lazy in dealing with it and this message above helps me focus on eliminating it and waking me up to the fact that I really should asap.)
Johnny
Very helpful.
I note, in fiction, scripture and life how a sense or suspicion of favoritism tempts to jealousy and invites much suffering. As I reflect on your post, I also see how helpful it is to know the only approval that matters is that of our Father-Mother, the Love that Mary Baker Eddy tells us is “impartial and universal in its adaptations and bestowals.” Another’s moment to shine takes no light from me.
I once grumped that my husband seemed to be so natural in his generosity, it wasn’t fair. I came to see that was no excuse for me to forgo my own efforts to hone this spiritual quality… until I understood it to be natural to me, too. Seeing his generosity could inspire me to claim this quality, too, though I may express different ways.
Thank you for that one more reason for yours to be my favorite e-mail message each day.
On TV, I love the Biography Channel and see how famous people got to where they are today, SUCCESSFUL beyond all imagination. It gives me a boost, not jealousness. Their merits inspire me to go up higher in my quest for understanding god.
The term “personal sense” is tossed around a lot – to the point where it sometimes seems to lose its meaning. Today’s blog, Evan, is a good illustration of how personal sense tries to work and how we can stop it in its tracks. Personal sense takes the good that we see in others and attaches it to “persons” – mortals. It removes good from the infinite and limitless realm of Spirit where we can all directly experience it for ourselves, placing it instead in a limited and finite “personal” container separate from ourselves and not accessible to us. All good ALWAYS originates and REMAINS is God, Spirit, and is in fact OURS in consciousness. As manifestations of God each of us is one with all good, wherever and whatever is source may seem to be.
Thank you for your daily sharing of inspiring, fresh views of Spirit.
Jerome Grimmer, Oakhurst, CA and Elsah, IL
Very good points!! Thank you.