How can one dramatize the truth of joy in giving to others, primarily in serving those others who need what my contribution can offer? It is not nearly as productive of happiness to give to others who may not need or want what we have to give. They may receive bounty just because they are family members, or close friends, or because return may be afforded to the giver in the future. Giving that serves need and produces happiness is that which most fully meets criteria traced to our devotion to God. Devotion includes commitment to the authority of God to ask our service.
We love God, so that when he prescribes something, no other reason is necessary to cause action other than to be faithful to divine instruction. A major duty of a college president is to raise funds for the college. I was invited to meet with a fellow for lunch, and met with him as appointed. We had fair conversation, but not with full animation I enjoy and try to foster. The talk and circumstances were made businesslike, and I accepted them as they were. At the end of the conversation and responses to his questions he handed me a check for $20,000.00 for the college. I thanked him, but he said: “Don’t thank me. Thank my Dad. I am not sure whether or not I would praise or burn down your college. But my Dad told me to give to what you are doing, and if he wants it, I want it. That is what makes me happy.” I knew his father well, a trustee of the college. Whatever he asked of his adult children, they did it – just because he asked them to do it. They so respected their father, what he had done in life, and the integrity of his experience that they would do whatever he asked. There was no need to go further about motivation. I never forgot the moment, an illustration of the larger divine principle of response to respectful love and obedience, by doing something for others. God, needing nothing, asks us to serve other persons.
But there is a side benefit, both in this event, and in those events that relate directly to obedience to the directives of God. The man was gratified, down deep, that he had done something that was fulfilling for him. He wanted his gift to be used for something good for students – that he would do directly if he could, and had the opportunity to do so. We test ourselves in the virtue of what we do by asking, pointedly, how we feel about what we do. If there is no good feeling in the gift of giving: we are likely unknowing of the divine service meaning; or, we may not be generous in biblical concept; or, we have wrong motives; or we do not understand God’s preferred way for balancing human equity. We may be hampered by combinations of these and other factors.
There is a test I make to be sure I gain the joy of giving. I make sure I do some things with refusal of personal gain. Persons who heard me speak at conferences would call my assistant and ask if I would counsel with them. She encouraged the appointments. Afterwards some would ask if they could reimburse me for my time. I always refused, saying that if they felt compelled to pay that they might make a gift to the college unrelated to my benefit. Those events were highly fulfilling. Some proved quite profitable for the college. I was twice or thrice blest. I became a better counselor, perhaps a better man. Some of those counselees continued as my friends.
I practiced a secret of the meaning – to love God and serve mankind for God. There is Christian culture related to loving service to the benefit of others. Such benefit is not tied to any personal remuneration, or honor, or motive than to serve God. Hopefully the motive will be known to the degree that the recipient will pause to give attention to God who uses the largess of his followers to attract persons to the great purpose of God’s redemptive intervention. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020