It’s About Giving

15 Jul

“From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”
~ Arthur Ashe

“Making a living” is something that almost everybody focuses all of their energy.  We prepare for that living by years of education if we are going to go into academia or the business world or by years of training if we are going to go into the trades.  Our preparation, we believe, will position us better for good jobs and good pay.  Once we begin, we spend most of our energy bettering our position.  We want promotions and raises on a regular basis.

The focus on making a living can be quite crippling.  It often takes us away from spending time with family and friends.  We spend so much time on “bettering” our lives that our lives may actually begin to erode.  Oh, sure, we may be getting promotions and raises; but, we feel miserable all of the time.  That would be because we’re too focused on what has come to be known as the “rat race.”  Too much focus on that will give us high blood pressure and ulcers and not happiness.

If, on the other hand, we focus upon giving to others — both our time as well as material goods — we will feel incredibly blessed.  We may work just as hard as those previously mentioned; but, our work will have some kind of purpose to it that gives us energy and new life.  If we are not focused upon ourselves and, instead, focus upon others, we find the will to continue as well as happiness when we can bless others by what we give to them.

This is really the law of love.  Too many times “love” is bandied about by others.  They speak of love in such a way as to cheapen it.  Love is totally pure and virtuous and always looks out for the good of others.  When we engage in that kind of perfect love, we find that we, too, are blessed.

In loving, we receive love and we are open to the love that God has for us.  Don’t worry about making a living.  Instead, make a life.  Love freely and become incredibly blessed.

FAITH ACTION:  Don’t focus upon what you are going to receive today.  Instead, give freely of yourself to others.