Article December 19, 1931 Issue

Learning to Give

MARIE A. TRIPP

The Master said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you." And Paul bade his brethren "remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." Again, in Ecclesiastes, we are admonished, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." So it seems a very necessary thing to learn to give, and to give wisely.

According to the Lord's Prayer, we ask God to "give us this day our daily bread." What is our "daily bread" but our spiritual understanding of Love, the inspiration of receiving from God and giving to others? However small our supply may seem to be, there is always someone needing what we can give of it. And we can always give of our love, and lighten another's burden by tender words.

A student of Christian Science who was eager for a fuller understanding of the truth, and who had been spiritually fed and helped by the work of others, wakened to the fact that she had always been expecting to receive, and that surely now there was something she could give, even if in a small way, to those who had so generously helped her. But how to help each one with whom she came in contact, and each one upon whom her thoughts rested, Love alone could teach her. Love knew what she needed, and would show her the way to give; for of herself how could she discern the need? As she thus prayed, numerous opportunities presented themselves, and to her joy she found that she too was giving; and as she gave, even though but a smile to a passer-by, the joy of giving took possession of her. Life seemed to expand and love was all about her. Blessing and happiness surrounded her like a garden wherein the bloom of some plants increases with cutting—with sharing.

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