Article September 17, 1938 Issue

The Hath and the Hath-not Thinker

KATHERINE SHEPARD WHITNEY

God's bestowals are not variable or limited. What then could be the meaning of Jesus' words in Matthew, "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath"? God, being infinite good, is always bestowing good upon His children. This qualification must, then, refer to our receiving of His goodness. His goodness is always available to us, but are we always ready to receive it? Sometimes we allow dark clouds of doubt and fear to obscure the light, and the loud cry of self-pity to delay our receiving of the very good for which we are searching.

If we are laboring to solve a problem, and believe that we have not found the answer or solution, nay, sometimes, even believe the problem has no solution, our attitude prevents our finding the solution. Then we sometimes lose even what we had before of confidence and joy. But if we utilize the understanding we have and set about patiently and confidently to solve each problem, this attitude will enable us to find the solution. The "hath" thinking is joyous, grateful thinking. It is receptive to fresh inspiration. It is progressive, ready to go forward; while the "hath-not" thinking is so fearful that it quickly falls into self-pity and discouragement, and causes one to lose sight of man's rightful heritage of joy and freedom.

To the widow who appealed to him for help because her creditor, whom she was unable to pay, had come to take her two sons to be bondmen, Elisha said, "Tell me, what hast thou in the house?" She replied, "Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil." Elisha then told her to borrow vessels, and "borrow not a few," and pour out the oil she had. An abundance of oil was poured out, and all of the vessels were filled. She was instructed to sell the oil, in order that the proceeds might meet her need and the need of the creditor. Her thought was turned from continued fearful contemplation of what seemed to be a barren house, and directed toward utilization of what she had. When she obediently followed the prophet's directions, the "hath-not" thinking was replaced with the "hath" thinking and with evidence of the promise expressed centuries later in Jesus' words, "For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance."

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