Is Giving good or bad for you in hard times
By samson1
@samson1 (738)
Jamaica
October 16, 2012 12:05pm CST
As a child, I was encouraged to give and give generously. I was also told to give 'without counting the cost' of doing so. I tried to follow those suggestions given to me over time, but I experienced varying types of outcomes; some of them I liked, and others I did not.
Mylotters, do you think that telling our children to develope the habit of 'giving' still make sense, expecially in times of scarcity and economic hardship being experienced by all?
3 responses
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
11 Nov 12
Yes. They need to develop faith in the cycle of 'as you give more, so shall you get more, so shall you give more, so shall you get more, etc.'
I think of Jesus saying "From whom much is given, much will be expected." The 'much' in that case was something like "grace or forgiveness"; but the example Jesus used was debt-money, so it holds true here.
@samson1 (738)
• Jamaica
12 Nov 12
Hmm, interesting thoughts. However, I wonder. Was Jesus more interested in teaching that giving is good for mankind, or was he trying to encourage mankind to develope the habit of sharing with the less fortunate, so that giving can be more pleasurable to be done?
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
13 Nov 12
I think He was focusing more on a fact St. Paul brought up later when he was talking about the duty of 'giving to the church' (and/or each church's duty to share among the other churches),
how "you don't have anything for yourself unless it is given to you," so you should be aware that what you have is not so much 'earned' as it is 'planted'---and--if you cannot make the seed you are given bear fruit that helps fulfill the will of G-d--you should pass it on to souls who CAN make it bear such fulfilling fruit.
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Nov 12
I usually think giving is a good thing BUT we just helped my aunt move from NY to NC where we live and they were supposed to pay us back the gas money for the trip. Too bad they did not give us any of the money that they said they would for it. Now we are out all of that money and cannot pay our own bills!!! I don't know what we are supposed to do now to eat and pay bills but hey, they are sleeping good aren't they?!? YES they are!
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
12 Nov 12
Sorry I am a little frustrated at the moment about it. We are always helping people and we always end up struggling because of it. It's so unfair! =(
@TheScupp (102)
• Finland
16 Oct 12
Well I believe in that if you give something you also get something back. Nobody shouldn't take this literally though...
I think giving things makes me a lot more happier. Usually it makes me feel good about myself. If you can't really give anything away then better option would be doing favor for somebody instead. Actually little favor would be even better! :D
@samson1 (738)
• Jamaica
12 Nov 12
I understand what you are saying here. Allow me to remind you that while both parties (donor and recipient) can enjoy the benifits of giving, perhaps, the focus should be on obtaining the benefits of sharing; as it is sharing that the real message/lessons can be obtained from the completion of that transaction.
