Giving

LESLIE C. BELL

In Christian Science we learn that man is the reflection or image of God. Reflecting is the active giving out of the likeness of the original. For example, the rays of light which go to form the image in a mirror are given off from the surface of the mirror as they are received; otherwise there would be no reflection. Furthermore, as long as they are being received, just so long are they reflected.

On realizing this one sees more clearly why our Leader uses the term "reflection" in describing man's relation to God. Man is the spiritual reflection of God, and God is expressed in His reflection, man. Mrs. Eddy writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 470), "If there ever was a moment when man did not express the divine perfection, then there was a moment when man did not express God, and consequently a time when Deity was unexpressed—that is, without entity." Our true life consists, then, in reflecting God, in the active giving out of the likeness of God. Only in the realization of this do we become conscious of our true life, and prove that God is eternally pouring forth His love upon man, and that man is ever giving out that love again. The understanding of this awakens our deepest gratitude, for through it we realize that by reflecting God we can give continually, and that joyous, humble giving of love is true living.

We know that Jesus gave liberally; and Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians said, "He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." What, then, can we give but the love which reflects God? Since in our true being we are God's reflection, we can give nothing else; for God is infinite. We cannot partly reflect God and partly something else. We reflect only God; and that is our only life and our only activity. It follows, then, that we can never be in a state of having nothing to do or of having nothing to give. Peter realized this truth clearly when he said to the one who asked an alms, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee." He knew that through Christ he had inexhaustible riches to give to such as were ready to receive them, for he knew that God was the author of all. So faithfully did Peter give that the lame man was healed.

We read in Science and Health (p. 79), "Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us." The serene lake, quietly reflecting the beauty of tree and sky and sun, does not lose any of the beauty of these by giving it out; the more beauty it receives the more it gives; and we can discern mirrored in its still surface the massive mountain as well as the petals of the flowers on its shore.

Let us remember, then, that the more clearly we know our true selves as God's reflection, the better shall we realize that as we receive and give out spiritual qualities we live; and the more we give out the more we are prepared to receive, "pressed down, ... and running over," of God's great love for all. Let us give with the deepest and sincerest gratitude to God for the wonderful privilege, so that we make ourselves worthy to receive more, for Science and Health says (p. 3): "Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more."

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