Midweek Faith Lift
November 24, 2021
The Energy of Giving
Rev. Deb Hill-Davis
Daily Reflection
November 12, 2021
As India faces the worst drought in its history, the country is returning to its almost-forgotten system of capturing rainwater. Step wells, which were created 1,000 years ago, have a kind of inverted pyramid design and they channeled rainwater into underground aquifers. These architectural masterpieces are being uncovered and restored and are functioning as well as ever.
"There's a part of us that longs to know that even what has been abandoned or broken in us is still redeemable and can ultimately count for something good."
– Fred Rogers, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
Affirmative prayer: Infinite Presence, I am thankful that the grace and value of my life are infinitely redeemable. My worthiness is forged by Divine energy within me and cannot be diminished. I am made new again as I move forward with trust, hopefulness, and gratitude. Thank you, God, forever. Amen.
We are now at the well of giving, the fifth condition of a miracle and it is a very subtle energy, not unlike our opening story of the step wells in India. It is an energy of the Universe, recognizing what is needed and then giving forth all that is needed in a generous outpouring of love, or in this case, life-giving water. So how is it with us, this energy of giving, and how does this energy bring about miracles?
Let’s go back again to our story of the Loaves and the Fishes. This week we continue to examine the same passage from the story as translated from the Greek: “But say to Him Not we have here except five loaves and two fish. He however said Bear to me them here.” Last week in our exploration of the energy of miracle, we explored how to really see what we have and then maximize it. This week let us ponder the nature of this gift of five loaves and two fish.
In the story, we learn that the loaves and fish were a gift from a young boy and he freely gave these to the disciples. He did not withhold some for his own lunch, even though he was no doubt as hungry as everyone else. He did not attach strings to the gift and say, “Hey, that’s my lunch, so I want to be first in line to make sure I get to eat!” He did not say, “Tell me what you are going to do with this before I let you have it!” He did not say, “Hey, I want credit for this so everyone knows that I had something to do with it!” He did not say, “I only want those who are truly grateful to receive some food as a result of my gift.” There are so many things he could have said, but he did not say any of them. He just generously offered all that he had, and we never know his name, he just offers it for the higher good.
What happens next is that Jesus blesses the offering, acknowledges the Source and gives thanks, and then just keeps it moving, distributing the food to all who are gathered. He does not count it or ask people for “id” or any other proof of need, he just keeps the energy of the gift moving. This is our object lesson about giving when we want to manifest miracles. The energy is generative, it gives life and it keeps moving. When we are “miracle giving’ we don’t attach strings to the gift, we don’t expect thanks or gratitude for the gift, we just give for the joy of giving and let our gift go into the Universe with gratitude for the ability to give.
It is that kind of energy of giving that generates miracles. It is the intent behind the gift that has the real miracle-making power. When we feel true joy in giving, then we are in the flow of what true giving is all about. We don’t need to be recognized for our gift. We don’t need a paver with our name in the sidewalk, a bench or a plaque with our name, and we don’t need a letter of recognition or of thanks. All of that is nice, but the true energy of miracle giving is to give without all of that! It is giving because you perceive a need and you offer yourself as a channel through which that need can be met and more good, more love, and more compassion can be made real in the circumstances where you give.
Miracle generating giving is NOT rescuing, it is not co-dependent. It is not doing for someone what they need to do for themselves. It is not bailing them out when they have created yet one more mess. Miracle giving is at times just listening and holding yourself and others accountable. It is words of encouragement that empower another to step up and also begin giving to the Universe of their time, talents, and treasures. It is like the Mr. Rogers quote at the beginning of the talk, "There's a part of us that longs to know that even what has been abandoned or broken in us is still redeemable and can ultimately count for something good." Realizing that longing is the miracle part of giving!
You know, since I have been here as minister, at Unity of Ames, I have learned a lot about giving. True miracle-making giving does require a shift in consciousness because I have been attached to outcomes, to gratitude for the gifts and acknowledgment of the gifts and that is not how it really works. How did I learn this? Well when we first started giving the stockings to the kids at Rosedale Shelter who could not go home for Christmas, I expected thank you notes from the kids and the first year we did get some. The next year, not so much and even with a prompt from me to the worker, only a few showed up.
I then let go of it and have now just realized the reason. As Dr. Michael says on p. 91 of The Twelve Conditions of a Miracle:
Expect your return to come from the right place…the more you expect gratitude from humans, the less will result….Expect your true return—all of it—from the universe itself. Form follows thought. When you expect your return from people, people can be the only channel for your return. When you expect your return from the universe, you open the universe as a channel of your return.
We have no idea what kind of energy our gifts of Christmas stockings means to the Rosedale shelter care kids. The workers have told me that the kids really enjoy them, and that alone was enough to make me smile.
The real energy of giving as a condition of a miracle goes back to the very first condition, that of emptying. When we can get ourselves out of the way, go back to that condition of emptying ourselves of ourselves, and then miracle giving becomes a way of participating in the incredible generosity of the universe, of God. Jesus had something really pointed and powerful to say about this process of giving:
Matthew 5:23-24
23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. (NSRV)
The very direct message is that we are called to “clear up” all the energies that might burden our gift-giving.
What that means to me is that before we give, we give up! We give up our grudges and grievances, our judgments and complaints, whether against us or against others. What happens to us in the recesses of our hearts and minds when we know someone is holding a grudge against us? Our very human response is to ruminate about it, imagine what they are saying about us and then get angry in response to what is often the “story we are telling ourselves” about them. Whew! Jesus tells us to give that up, and to the best of our ability, reconcile with them so that we are truly free to give our gifts. That is a challenge, for sure! That story we are telling is so compelling and provocative, isn’t it? Mine sure is!
What can we do with this energy of being “unreconciled” to free our body, mind, spirit, heart, from holding onto it? What can we do when our brother or sister won’t even talk with us? I am truly sad to think about how much of that may be going on over this Thanksgiving holiday! We really do need to send some miracle-making giving energy into the Universe this season. Well, for miracles to happen, we have to clear away in our minds and hearts. That means that whenever find ourselves ready to “tell the story” we tell something different. We tell others and ourselves of the good side of our brother/sister/friend/child; something of them that we see as “redeemable” as Mr. Rogers describes it. We see ourselves as redeemable.
We cultivate generosity of spirit and loving-kindness so that the person can safely travel the highways of our mind. We make amends to the Universe for our part of any conflict, argument or misunderstanding with NO expectation or attachment to the outcome. And we practice saying aloud words of love, reconciliation, and forgiveness even as we acknowledge our pain. That way, WE have heard ourselves repair the damage to the relationship as best we can, and the Universe has also heard it. That is miracle-making giving! It may not produce the reconciliation that we personally would like, but if the energy of our spoken word causes anyone to make a shift, then wouldn’t we smile and feel joy!? That is the miracle energy of giving!
Blessings on the Path,
Rev. Deb