We read about people who have been generous, kind, giving of themselves. But where does that stem from? An innate desire to feel good inside about doing something good? Or knowing that giving to others is recognizing something more important in the person before them?
When someone gives to another, the intention of that gift is the most important part. Those who receive will recognize the giver as one who sincerely cares, or one is doing the act for altruistic purposes.
In order to share properly, think about these things:
Have you been given mercy?
Did you wrong someone else, and, instead of getting angry, the victim turned to you and recognized something deeper within you that overshadowed the selfish deed. Instead of anger or retaliation, they befriended you and sought to help heal the wound they saw buried inside of you.
Go and do likewise. If you’ve been wronged, show that same kind of mercy to the one who did the act.
Have you been forgiven?
Did you saw cross words or took something from someone else? Did you try to shame them, repudiate their friendship or generosity, slander their good reputation, belittle them?
And what did you gain in return? A feeling of superiority? Proud of the power you might have had over someone you considered weaker? Shame because you took out something you are struggling with on someone you may not even know?
But what if that person, instead of a rebuke, gave you heartfelt forgiveness? How would you feel then?
If it awakened you to something greater than the oppressive deed done, then go and do likewise. Perhaps someone directs something towards you, find the best in them instead. Consider that they may be having a bad day, or are in unseen pain. And forgive them, even as you have been forgiven.
When we look beyond the surface of the person’s veneer, we turn our gaze into the heart of another human being. We will be able to see what we have in common – even if the only thing is our humanness.
Love in its truest form…
The love you’ve been shown through an act of another toward you is how you should treat someone else. Instead of hatred, anger, bitterness, bigotry, revenge, for preformed judgement, pass on the grace afforded you from another. Share that generous spirit to others.
That is true love. When we look beyond the surface of the person’s veneer, we turn our gaze into the heart of another human being. We will be able to see what we have in common – even if the only thing is our humanness. Then we take what we have found and show love for them.
That love isn’t the squishy, feely type of love we are shown in banal books and movies. It goes much deeper. It is a recognition that the other person has within them a dignity that is not yet recognized by themselves.
Help them learn to love themselves by showing them an act of kindness. When that fire of self-worth ignites within them, they, too, will be able to share true love toward others.
But why should we?
Through the forgiveness and mercy we show towards someone else, they will experience the true joy of being recognized as someone who is truly important. They will see that they are of value to you and, as a result, that they should also be of worth to themselves as well.
Ultimately that grace will grow through each one of us to each person in the community around us. That is how we change the community around us. And when we change the community, we change the heart of the world at large.
It all begins with you.