For several years I had provided funds and advice to a friend who was new in the business world. He had prospered, and I felt gratified at the help that I was able to give.

One day, however, my friend explained that since he now knew the necessary procedures, he could handle the work without help and, in addition, did not feel obligated to repay the sums advanced. Feeling chagrined at this surprising turn of events, but trying to know God's control over all, I made a strong, persistent effort to turn to God for answers.

I tried to realize and really feel that everything good in our lives is actually a gift of God. Christian Science tells us that all the love we give or receive, all the wisdom or understanding we express, all the health and the right to health, and all supply— these are God's gifts to us. As God is infinite, All, and as we are in truth His perfect reflection and expression, all God's goodness is ours in unlimited abundance to claim and demonstrate.

When we encounter what seems to be ingratitude, this truth of our spiritual being and relationship to God may seem doubtful. At first it did to me. But gradually I began to realize that I had been expecting gratitude for the aid given. In other words, I had been unwittingly considering that my help was really a sale, and the payment I expected to receive for my assistance was proper gratitude from the recipient of my giving.

By turning to Mind for answers, I began to see that everything good we have is really a gift of God, and that it flows to us through spiritual understanding in increasing abundance as we live in accord with Truth and Love. If we understand this fact, we will tend to give our help to others as an expression of God's love. Everything needed for our human life flows from Love's spiritual abundance to all its creation. These spiritual blessings are our true wealth and being. They are spiritual qualities, and they increase in our lives as they are expressed, given to the world, shared with others.

The more love we express, the more we feel and know of Love. The more honest we are, the more we know of Truth. As we listen to God, divine Mind, carefully and without predecisions, we express more wisdom. Clearly, no one can take away one iota of our love or wisdom or our oneness with God. By claiming and being deeply conscious of our oneness with God, we lose the false material values we have had, and are freed to give abundantly of our spiritual riches.

Mrs. Eddy, in one of her many references to the abundance of God's gifts, says, "Love giveth to the least spiritual idea might, immortality, and goodness, which shine through all as the blossom shines through the bud." ^{Science and Health, p. 518.} And in another place she explains, "Christ, Truth, gives mortals temporary food and clothing until the material, transformed with the ideal, disappears, and man is clothed and fed spiritually." ^{Ibid., p. 442.}

Throughout both the Old and New Testaments in the Bible there are statements that attest to God's infinite bestowals to His children. In the Epistle of James we read, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." ^{James 1:17.} Realizing the allness of God, and understanding that all we are or have is in and of God, we know that gratitude always flows from us to God. In a sense we have nothing of our own to give; we have only God's blessings to share, and these are always in abundance. Christ Jesus demonstrated this fact when he fed the multitudes with a few loaves and fishes. Today those who turn to God understandingly, as Jesus did, find they can draw upon an overflowing abundance of good to sustain them.

When we give to express our love for others, reflecting God as Love, we should not feel chagrined when no gratitude is forth-coming. This is not to say that another's ingratitude is right or morally defensible. But expecting gratitude for giving may indicate we see ourselves as a personal originator of good. Since every gift is of God, true giving is always an expression of God's love, never a personal bequeathal of wealth or advice. Actually, inspired giving is itself a demonstration of our gratitude to God for His beneficence to us and of our recognition that being loving is expressing God as Love.

The friend I mentioned telephoned as this article was nearing completion and brought up the subject of a loan that our joint firm had taken several years before. This loan was now coming due, and even though he had left the firm, he offered to pay half of the loan. Since he was under no obligation on this loan, his offer was equivalent to paying twice the amount previously advanced to him.

This suggestion was made by my friend as a matter of course, a natural thing to do. His changed manner indicated that business ethics can be governed by the divine Principle that is Love. His new attitude of friendliness and love clearly illustrated the effect of God's love whenever and wherever we express it. With my change of thinking, my friend and I are friends, harmonious, with no discord of any kind.

God's giving is tenderly expressed in our giving. When we raise our thoughts persistently and earnestly to the consciousness of God's presence, goodness, and power, we are not hindered by ingratitude or feelings of being personal givers. In every area God gives us all we need in loving abundance.