Heaven #3844 Keep the peace
Dear Gloria,
in http://www.heavenletters.org/keep-the-peace.html
parag. 4 from the end:
"If you live in havoc, what are you giving to the world? And what are you giving to those whose havoc you may accept into your life?
I have never advised you to give a pound of flesh. I have never advised you to undercut yourself for the idea of an image of yourself you insist you must reflect. Truly, dear ones, you are not being unselfish when you let your life become disruptive."
I know that "to give a pound of flesh" comes from Shakespeare (The Merchant of Venice). In this context is God saying that He is not asking from you to give a pound of flesh or is it that we don't let the other ask you for a pound of flesh?
And in 2nd from last parag.:
""On one hand you give, and in another, you take. You may take away from others their ability to fend for themselves. Certainly, you help no one when you fly off the handle."
I understand that "to fly off the handle" means to react in a very angry way, to lose one's temper. But I don't connect clearly that last sentence with the two preceeding ones.
Ah those idioms! (Yet I like them in french!)
Thanks
You want to be what you
You want to be what you think I want you to be. Beloveds, do not think that I want you to give up your peace to be an enabler to the world.
Yes, you want to think about others, and yet you don’t want to think of others to the detriment of yourself. There are many ways to help and maintain peace in your life. You deserve to have peace. Remind yourself that you are a good giving person who maintains peace. Remember, beloveds, you are not the savior of anyone.
If you live in havoc, what are you giving to the world? And what are you giving to those whose havoc you may accept into your life?
I have never advised you to give a pound of flesh. I have never advised you to undercut yourself for the idea of an image of yourself you insist you must reflect. Truly, dear ones, you are not being unselfish when you let your life become disruptive.
Beloved Normand, I think God means you had better not give your pound of flesh. Of course, nor would He want you to take so much from another either.
On one hand you give, and in another, you take. You may take away from others their ability to fend for themselves. Certainly, you help no one when you fly off the handle.
I think he means if you give more than you can give, you may be doing too much so the person becomes dependent upon you and doesn't move forward to become independent.
We all want to be great givers. If we start to feel resentful, we're not helping anyone.
Please don't hesitate to say if I'm not clear.
You wrote: "Beloved Normand,
You wrote:
"Beloved Normand, I think God means you had better not give your pound of flesh. Of course, nor would He want you to take so much from another either."
So not giving your pound of flesh would simply mean "don't give more than you can and don't feel guilty about it or don't feel obliged to"?
I think so, dear one. He's
I think so, dear one. He's not telling us to be selfish. No one owes a pound of flesh, however. Sometimes we feel we owe or we're supposed to give such and such an amount, and we want to be all that God wants us to be, and we just can't live up to it. Or maybe someone is taking advantage of us, and we let them. It's a very fine line. Please don't take what I'm saying here as gospel -- this is how I'm understanding it this minute.
Bless you, Normand.