I had an interesting conversation with a friend where he expressed fear over the concept of living unselfishly. I was grateful for the chat, because many people harbor the same fear, and thus hold back from giving everything they’re capable of giving to others and blessing them.
My friend expressed concern that if we spent all our time giving unselfishly to others, we ourselves would suffer from neglect. “How can you give your all for another and keep your own house in order?” he queried. “And not be abused or miss-used too?”
I thought a moment, and replied, “Giving unselfishly means to give your all for divine Love, as opposed to mindlessly sacrificing for an unappreciative mortal.”
To give unselfishly, doesn’t mean we prostrate in front of a mortal and let them do whatever they will with us. To give unselfishly means to give up fears, self-concerns, miserly thinking and selfishness that prevent us from expressing divine Love to the fullest.
Our role in the universal scheme of things is to be Love manifest in the full glory and splendor of God, to let the light of Christ shine through us brightly and brilliantly. Some people will receive this light with joy. Others may turn from it and walk the other way. But we can keep on expressing the Christ-love no matter what with no harm or loss to ourselves. Only gain, actually!
So, don’t fear to give your all for Love today. Only blessing will come right back at you—from God.
Para mi el día de hoy es muy oportuna esta reflexión, muchas gracias!
Oh my goodness.
This makes so much sense!
Wow! I’m so grateful to have read this today.
Thank you.
🙂
What joy there is in living a loving life. Our Leader tells us, “He who is afraid of being too generous has lost the power of being magnanimous. The best man or woman is the most unselfed.” (Msy 165: 26) Thank you, Evan, for reminding us of this.
Beautifully expressed! When I have felt frustrated by the lack of appreciation on the part of someone for whom I had sacrificed time and treasure, I was redirected in line with your insight by pondering Mary Baker Eddy’s prayer (found in her poem Christ, My Refuge):
“My prayer, some daily good to do, to Thine, for Thee; an offering pure of Love, whereto, Thou leadest me.”
Did that help!! One moment I was thinking, “that ungrateful so and so…” and the next I was basking in the joy of loving unconditionally and moving on. I realized we do good TO someone because they are God’s beloved children, but we do it FOR God, who enables and impels us to reflect that love. Their immediate, outward response makes little or no difference, as you bring out so beautifully. And we won’t be tempted to take back that gift, for the giving is truly unselfish.
Evan! You beat the mark again. A 1000 year question as mean thoroughly answered for once and for all. At last I can answer others when they tell me I am selfish if I don’t acknowledge their woes. Thank you for this incredibly simple answer to an age old problem of how far can being unselfish go.
“Giving unselfishly means to give your all for divine Love, as opposed to mindlessly sacrificing for an unappreciative mortal.”
This is profound, Evan. I struggle with how much I should give to my fellow man of my”overflow” of blessings. Sometimes I feel that the giving is more an enabling for some to not be responsible for themselves and be dependent on others. I don’t think that’s what it means to be a Christian. To enable others to “coast” and be dependent on a handout sometimes weakens individuality and personal responsibility. When we give all for divine Love, well, as you say, then we are giving unselfishly. And that divine Love will guide us to the right kind of giving in the human scene, to the right recipients who truly need a boost. I am thinking of Mrs. Eddy’s statement: “What is our motive for prayer”. We can substitute the word charitable giving for prayer and ask that question. Thinking through our motive will uplift the action. I love this article! Thank you!
Evan, great observations. I like this thought about supply from Joel Goldsmith. “When we receive a check, we may think that that is a demonstration of supply. The check, however, is not out demonstration at all, but the demonstration of the one who sent it. He is the one who has demonstrated supply or he could not have given it. No matter how much we receive, we never demonstrate supply because our demonstration of supply is determined by how much we give, how much unfolds from within our own consciousness and how much is released from within our own being. Many who call themselves Christians have accepted the materialistic view that supply is getting, whereas supply is giving. This is a spiritual law, and its violation accounts for the lack and limitation so many people experience.”
WOW!! SCOTT WHAT A FRESH IDEA!!! this is a perpective that hasnt ever occurred to me although I have often reminded myself that “supply and demand are equal in Gods kingdom ” .
thankyou Evan AND Scott 😉
That should read is” not our demonstration at all.” Sorry for the typo
“Our role in the universal scheme of things is to be Love manifest in the full glory and splendor of God, to let the light of Christ shine through us brightly and brilliantly. Some people will receive this light with joy. Others may turn from it and walk the other way. But we can keep on expressing the Christ-love no matter what with no harm or loss to ourselves.” I had to read this again, as it says so succinctly
what we all need to remember (real-ize more fully).
As a joyful recipient of your reflected light, Evan, I am ever grateful.
And thank you, Commenters, for your insights today, too. Special thanks to Scott for his reminder of whose demonstration it is. I’m going to ponder this.
Very uplifting for us all, huh!
in this season of gift-giving.
Love,
Sue
Very timely, as always, Evan! Knowing I will see a family member At Thanksgiving who has been a challenge to love unselfishly, I’ve been praying to understand clearly loving as reflection and not as personal sense. Not something one gives as payment for kind behavior but because we are all Gods beloved children – regardless of any excuse from any “misty cloud of personal sense.”
Blessed Thanksgiving to all!
Thank you again, Evan, for pointing out one of earth’s puzzling paradoxes. One of my favorite hymns is number 360. The second verse puts it succinctly and beautifully:
Hymn 360:2
Is the heart a well left empty? None but God its void can fill; Nothing but a ceaseless fountain Can its ceaseless longings still. Is the heart a living power? Self-entwined its strength sinks low; It can only live in loving, And, by serving, love will grow.
Jerome in Oakhurst, CA
Part of unselfish for me is studying S&H and the Bible. Matthew 7:5-6 came to mind reading this Spiritview…Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
I always have to look to myself first to keep my thoughts and motives upright and then the giving unselfishly falls into place naturally. But none of that means being a doormat. Even Jesus did not go where he was not welcome or there was no receptive thought. And we know he was as bold as he was meek. So…
If we are truly trusting God and KNOWING He is the source of all power, goodness, supply, we cannot allow fear to hold sway…rather we CANNOT FEAR. Period.
I had a drawing once of a fern. With that drawing was this: Don’t be afraid. What you give away will grow back.
I thought you would like this. Ted.
Sorry I got the last message wrong.
This blog is so helpfull. Thankyou so much Evan.
Thanks for post Evan. To live as a transparency for Truth can be a bit scary at first. But the more practiced the more we realize we already have that Mind that was also in Christ Jesus.
Nice
https://www.charismamag.com/blogs/straight-talk/1496-unselfish-love