Are you living a Love-based life or a money-based life? It’s a question I asked a mother who was torn between working for more money or leaving her job to stay home and raise her children, which is what she wanted to do.
When our priorities are to live a Love-based life, we make decisions that enable us to follow through and realize the activities of Love. If the purchase of new and more things, cars and houses are our priority, and we need more money to follow through, then how to get that money becomes our priority. And to be honest, there is often a trade-off between seeking Love and seeking money. As Jesus Christ taught, “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Luke 16:13, RSV).
The Good News is that one does not have to sacrifice anything good in their life to make seeking the activities of Love a priority.
I had to learn this lesson before entering the full-time practice of Christian Science. At the time, prospects for earning much money in the practice looked very dim, but it’s what I wanted to do. So, I made some critical economic decisions, like stay out of debt, reduce expenditures to what you absolutely needed, and to be happy with what I had.
I didn’t want to ever be in a position where I had to bow down to mammon and sacrifice what was most important to me. So, I committed to staying out of mammon’s grasp in the first place. I wanted to serve God.
And it worked.
My income was minimal the first few years of my new career, but my family never lacked. We always had food to eat, a place to live, and gas in the car. That was enough. I was super happy doing what I loved most, and my family grew to be healthy and strong. As I stuck with my Love-based agenda, the money eventually came.
So, my message to you is, don’t be afraid to follow through with what is spiritually best for you and your family. There is a way to do it and you will find it if you are sincere. You don’t have to spend your life serving mammon and sacrificing what is most important. Choose to serve Love, and Love will serve you.
Thank you very much, Evan!! Yes, and yes.
Happily and gratefully I can say that I made the choice decades ago, to not go out to work during my daughter’s early childhood. By all obvious standards I was poor. But so rich in meaningful moments, time to watch over her, conversations that ramble and play with words, for starters.
This all took place in the 70s when women were talking about careers. I was not certain that I was not going to lose out, but nevertheless stayed the course. Going to church, studying the Bible Lesson, becoming a Mother Church Member underpinned and supported my life.
At the urging of God and through God’s graces, when I thought it impossible, I went to university in my 30s (when my daughter was in highschool), started working in my 40s, retired after a 22 year teaching career, and am continuing the sustaining study of our knowable God, The Great Shepherd who leads us so very gently so very lovingly, the entire way.
Thank you for this timely post once again Evan. I made the choice to stay home with my children and continued with the home education route with them until they both went off to college. It took courage , sacrifice, and patience on my part. And looking back at times I feel sad that I gave up my career that was in the holistic, metaphysical field. I knew nothing about Christian Science at that time, though my understanding was very similar to all I have been learning since studying the Bible and Science and Health. What a beautiful door this has opened and I feel so endlessly grateful for my ongoing understanding and trust. My children are making their decisions now as the world tries to distract them. They witness my understanding and I’m grateful to continue to influence their decisions.
Yes! Choosing the Higher Road always pays off, in the best ways. Fancy houses and new cars and clothing never really satisfy, as anyone can learn or see. I am so very grateful that divine Love helped me raise three children, as a single parent, and today? Wow! Such fine people they are!
Thank You, God!!!
P..S. We never lacked for anything truly needful.
Interesting how this 1950s article relates
https://journal.christianscience.com/issues/1950/7/68-7/spiritual-unity-nullifies-animal-magnetism?s=e
Oh sorry, cannot open the full article, Patty. Could you give a link that opens full? Thanks.
Uta, please find a link below that will allow you to view the article.
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2drfwa1auw8?s=e
Thanks a lot, Brian, your link comes out perfectly!
WOW this hits really close to home. Thanks Patty for the link to that article. I especially liked: “He is also incapable of expressing or knowing jealousy, anger, or self-pity.” I had to fight all of these after becoming a single mother (in the 1950’s) when my daughter was only one year old. I had no financial help and had to work to support us. I resented the mothers who were working just to have more money, when I would have given anything to stay home and raise my daughter. Through consistent prayer I finally overcame my resentment. I also made the best I could of the time I did have with my daughter: cleaned house after she went to bed, took long walks or bike rides through the countryside on the weekends, The time I had with her was devoted to her. What a blessing this has been, as now after we are both widows and retired, we are extremely close. God has always been there, even though He may have seemed invisible. There is never any separation between God and His children. How grateful I am!!!
I would like to add that at one point when my daughter was in elementary school I had a boss who was the father of 8 children. He told me whenever there was any parent activity during the day at the school I was to go and be there for my daughter. What a blessing!
I’m so grateful that I, too, was able to stay at home with my children as they were growing up. I was able to teach piano at home during those years, and our supply came in many interesting ways that would seem miraculous to those not understanding God’s omnipresence and His unfailing care. God loves each one of us, HIs precious ideas, and He meets our every need. Thank you, dear Father-Mother! “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt 6: 33)
What inspiring stories, everyone. Thank you!
Thank you very much, dear Evan, for your great experience. Yes, loving and serving God, and God alone makes the difference.
Just am thinking of what Jesus taught the people in Matthew 6: verses 31 to 34. We shall not worry about what we sHall eat or drink or wear, for our heavenly Father knows what we have need of. Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously and He will give you everything you need.” That is from the NLT Bible. I thought that might suit to today’s inspiring and healing SpiritView! I love what you said and that beautiful and loving foto!
just want to add – I also understand that loving and serving God is loving and serving man (God`s man) likewise! 🙂
Wow! This is a really powerful post. It clearly has come to me in the form of angel messages from God giving me courage and strength. Thank you Evan and all for your beautiful and strong examples. So much Love to you all.
Hi all dear commenters today. I only read all your wonderful experiences after I wrote my own comment. And I must say that you are so so loving Mothers, i stand in awe before you and your loving doings for your children. I’d like to give you all a big bunch of lovely roses for Mother’s day – much Love to you all! Thanks a lot for your loving and free sharing.
I would like to add my voice to the “Thank you chorus”. With my husband, we also made the choice that I should stay home with our little children and, like Daphne, we witnessed Love’s provision in so many unexpected ways. We did not have much money, but all our needs were always met. We considered everything good that came into our life as ‘income’. A friend had offered a subscription to Acorn News, a publication of Principia. I remember having read in one of the issues that during a discussion, a young mother said, that she had chosen to stay home with her little ones and that she was convinced that each child is a complete idea, already including all she/he would ever need. Thus, she considered that they became wealthier with each child that arrived. This idea was such an inspiration and I applied it to any apparent lack that would manifest itself, and it has proved to be true for us! What a blessing!
I was a working actor and a member of a catering company. I went back to working as a caterer at night so I could have my daytime with my daughter. I worked long hours but only 2-3 times a week. By my second child, I quit this when he was 3. In the 80s most mothers did some kind of work, not to get rich, but to put food on the table. Though my theater career floundered, I never resented my children for having to semi-retire. I knew where I had to be and they tell me they are grateful I was there. All that time I was learning about God and without that I don’t know how I could have done it.My life was growing rich in understanding. I put my energy into this for my family and my focus just as I had as an actor and musician.
Now as I reach retirement from my current job, I am breathless as to what to do. I will still work and earn money doing something but I have so many roads to follow. let go and let God.
Thank you Evan. This really helped me today.