Gloria to God:
Dear God, I would like to know more about money and the emotions that surround it. Two things prompted this.
One is from an experience of a friend, and the other is from, what I see as high rates, being charged for spiritual work.
Nancy was upset that she worked 40 hours one week while a friend of hers at the same job at the same company worked 56 hours that same week with overtime, of course. Nancy felt it was unfair, that the overtime could have been split, and that she needed the money.
Nancy took the first Ask God Workshop I ever gave. Feeling jealous, angry, and frustrated, she sat down to ask You, and You totally changed how she felt.
She didn't give Your exact words, but gave the gist of it like this:
"No one intended to cheat you out of overtime. Do you really want to work another 8 hours? You do not have to be afraid that you will not have the money to pay your taxes. You are much wealthier than you can imagine."
Nancy also wrote: "God really helped me, and I no longer felt slighted. I am happy that my co-worker was able to work all that extra time. She deserves it."
Are money issues really money issues? Money of itself is paper or metal.
God:
Money is the world's valuation.
No one wants to be left out. For Nancy, someone else getting the overtime was like the classmate next to her receiving a star for good work, when she didn't. Or her mother praising her sister and not her.
Money is recognition only because the world says so. Of itself, it is nothing.
Gloria:
Now to the second example. There always seems to be two sides for me to reconcile.
There is a well-known spiritual leader who has a printed newsletter that comes out twelve times a year. The issue I saw had six or seven pages; a couple of pages were devoted to this person's other publications and events. The subscription costs $35 per year. This leader is wonderful and brings many people close to You, dear God.
A yearly subscription of HEAVEN, probably 365 issues, costs $29.95! The complete A Course in Miracles, over 1100 tight-knit pages, direct from Christ, costs only $30.00. Am I being like my friend Nancy who felt left out from getting overtime? Or is it a mistake to ask for so little for Your love and healing in HEAVEN?
God:
HEAVEN's subscription rates are just fine. You don't need to charge more. People can donate more, if they wish.
Our motive is to make HEAVEN easily available. Remember it is I Who honors you and what you are doing. Read over HEAVEN's mission statement. What We charge and what We do fit under Our mission. The question is not: Are you charging enough? The question is: Does the fee (and whatever you do for HEAVEN) support what HEAVEN is for?
Do you see what I am saying?
Gloria:
Yes.
God:
Now, rates once established, you must adhere to them. You no longer feel sorry for someone's financial situation and not charge or not charge the set rate. Do you see the difference between setting the rate and letting someone bargain with you over it?
Gloria:
Yes.
God:
If you are developing Heaven Association, you must be businesslike with the perimeters set forth.
If you were working at a retail clothing store, you would sell products for the prices marked. You wouldn't take it on yourself to give a dress away for less or for free because of a sad story someone told you. You wouldn't even consider doing that, would you?
Gloria:
No. And yet, God, there is a health food store and restaurant here in town; I heard that they told their employees that no one who is hungry is to be turned away. If someone doesn't have the money, the staff is to give them food. I love the store for that.
My mother and father used to do that during the depression in their grocery store. When they could tell someone was down-and-out and hungry, they would discreetly hand them a loaf of bread and a bottle of milk; the person didn't even have to ask.
I know that is different, but how?
God:
Giving the food is serving Me. Your giving away to individuals comes from your need to prove your self-worth.
There is another difference. You know for certain that the hungry person will appreciate the food. You do not know that someone handed HEAVEN will appreciate it. You don't even know that they will read it.
When HEAVEN is on its feet, you can expand into prisons and other countries and make business decisions to donate. Ultimately We will reach every soul on earth.
Gloria:
God, should the mission statement be changed to that?
God:
Yes. But realize that when HEAVEN reaches one soul, that one soul reaches many others. Reaching every soul doesn't mean that every soul will read HEAVEN. HEAVEN's love can be picked up from sitting next to someone who does.
As your world expands, you also become more one-pointed. You have your focus. Never mind what someone else charges or what they do. You have made your choices in life. Now you fulfill them.
You are spreading out a feast on a huge table, and you invite everyone to come. You prepare enough. Many will come to the feast.
Some will come seemingly by chance. They find themselves at the door and sit down and partake. Others will travel long distances to come, and be the most satisfied. Some will be dragged to the feast, and take only a bite or two, and leave dissatisfied.
But even one bite at this feast will have made its mark, and, at some time, the one who tasted will want more.
Then there are the people who help serve the food. They will set the table and design web-pages and balance checkbooks and type and serve food and clean up and invite their friends.
All is well. God is in His Heaven and in your heart. All is taken care of, and the outcome is secure.