A wealthy man pondered Jesus’ teaching on giving and he was deeply depressed by the whole thing. He prayed and prayed that he might be able to accept the teaching, but the more he prayed, the sadder he became.
One day, when he was near despair, an angel came to comfort him. “Why are you so sad?” the angel asked him.
“I am sad,” the man replied, “because of my master’s teaching on giving. Does it mean that I have to give again and again, and again, without any let up?”
“Oh no, not at all,” said the angel. “You have to give only as long as God gives to you. If God ever stops giving to you, then you won’t have to continue to give to others. God will continue to give to you – except in much greater abundance than you could ever give.”
God gives me nothing just for myself. He doesn’t give me the gift of speech, for instance, to go around talking to myself.
What comes down from God must go sideways to others – otherwise it stops coming – like the spring in the well. This applies to love, forgiveness, compassion, etc.
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