You may say that sometimes a man desires not wealth but mere sustenance. He scratches in the Earth, and his crops do not yield. He has seven lean years where his crop does not grow corn and his sheep do not multiply. He may have drought. He may have floods. He may have circumstances that have nothing to do with his personal drive. He can have all the drive in the world, and still his crops do not yield, and he is hungry.
Yes, a man with great personal drive can take great strides and walk purposefully, and still his trees do not bear fruit. He may indeed be a victim of circumstances, and yet he is not to feel that he is a victim. By the same token, a man may have great wealth, and it may not come from his own merit but also from circumstance or what is called a twist of fate. No more should the rich man credit himself as the source of his great fortune than a poor man should doubt himself because of his hunger. No man is to feel deprived.
Yes, yes, I know this is easier to say than to do.
No man is to be a beggar. No man is to be hungry. Every man is to give. No one should have to beg. This is a state of mind I am speaking of, do you understand? No one is to carry the sign within his heart that says, “I am Deprived.” Nor is any man to carry the sign within his heart that says: “I am Benefactor.” Yet every man is to be a benefactor.
One man’s stomach may be full when another’s is empty, yet no man’s heart is full when there is hunger on Earth.
You may say that there are beautiful groups who give food to the poor, and yet the groups have to beg so that they can give to the poor. You may say that there are groups who give God to the world, and they also have to beg. You may say there are other groups that are well-endowed, and gifts pour upon them which they in turn give. Your heart asks what is the difference. Why is not everything even on Earth and all good rewarded? Why is it sometimes hard to have the means to give even when your heart has no other desire?
Beloveds, what makes you think that all good is not rewarded? From the outside, you cannot know which group receives the greatest rewards! As with each individual in the world, so is it with groups. From the outside only the outside can be seen. Circumstances do not tell the whole story. Let the result be in the action. Glorify the action, not the perceived result.
There are many stories in the world where the great gifts are not seen, not easily seen, perhaps never seen, or perhaps seen later. The seeing of reward is not the merit of reward. It is best to move on in life without thinking of reward. One reason is that this thinking puts the cart before the horse. Another reason is that if you think of reward, you are also thinking of its opposite. So think neither of merit nor demerit. Think of what you are doing and giving, and let the doing and giving be your reward.
So it is with individuals. It is better that you do not look for thank you’s from anyone. You do not have to have a thank you or even acknowledgement.
And so with world life in general, you also do not have to have a thank you or acknowledgement. Thank yourselves. Be grateful that you are one who can give, and give without thought of return. Allow the freedom of even no return. You do not need a receipt. You need to give.