Article November 29, 1969 Issue

Giving and Sharing

JEANETTE F. SUTTON

Two young girls walking along a country lane saw some water lilies floating on a pond. Most of the blossoms were too far out in the water to reach, but one of the girls managed to pick two blossoms near the edge of the pond. She was admiring her find when she noticed that her friend had been unable to reach even one of the lilies. The thought came to her that she should share hers, but she did not act on the generous impulse and kept both lilies for herself. She wondered why, as she walked home, they no longer seemed lovely and why she had lost interest in them.

After this girl had grown to young womanhood, she took up the study of Christian Science. Through this study she understood more clearly the nature of God and also man's relationship to Him. She learned that God is our loving Father-Mother and that He is constantly imparting all good to His creation. She perceived that man, as God's image or likeness, mirrors His all-loving nature. Therefore we express our true selfhood in kindly thoughts and acts.

One day as the young woman recalled the incident of her childhood, she realized why she had lost pleasure in her blossoms. She had acted selfishly in not sharing them with her friend and so had temporarily deprived herself of the happiness that results from the exercise of loving-kindness. Sharing and giving for good purposes always bring one additional blessings. Christ Jesus promised his followers: "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."^{Luke 6:38;}

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