When Should You Give to Those in Need?

Survival Tips
John Dennison -
5:17 pm

I believe in One Infinite Creator.  You may call it God, the Universe, Tao, or whatever.  It doesn’t matter.

At the core of all that I Am, I know there is only One.  You’d know it too, if you could set aside your beliefs and connect directly to the source of life within you.

Maybe some day you will.

Anyway, this belief provides context for our relationship to others, and more particularly, those who are in need.

There is me, myself and I.  And there there is everyone else.  Self and Not Self.  Or in the perspective of Oneness, Self and Other Selves.

It is this relationship to our Other Selves that is at work here when faced with others in need.

Again, there are three possibilities for how it unfolds:

  1. Ignorance is bliss.  We don’t see their struggles and suffering or turn a blind eye to them;
  2. We see but don’t act to do anything about it; and
  3. We see their suffering, and act in some way to end or ameliorate it.

Is there are right and wrong choice for us?

 

A Matter of Choice

Each sentient being must decide for itself what its relationship is to its Other Selves.  Of course, most belief systems don’t acknowledge that there is only One so they don’t see any connection between us and them at all, other than through our family, work and societal relationships.

But KNOWING they are our Other Selves and CHOOSING whether to act are exercises in consciousness, often made based less upon the needs of the others than upon how we are impacted by those needs.  In short, their suffering in some way becomes our suffering.  So we act out of some need for ourselves to alleviate it, making things better for us by helping them.

That’s not altruism.  That’s self-interest.  Yet it is a prime motivator for many who choose to give, either through their own effort or by supporting political candidates and policies that will give it for us.  And that’s okay.

But remember this.

It is important for the awakening soul to understand its own inner processes when faced with a situation of another’s need.

You may have heard there are no musts or shoulds on the spiritual path.  There is no shame in refusing to help.

That’s because everything happens for a reason.  As callous as it sounds, their situation and suffering were created to serve their own journeys.  Only when it impacts our own are we forced into a choice whether to help or not.

How will you know whether and when to try to make their lot better?

Well, if you’re listening to your inner voice, it will tell you.  It will fill you with the inspiration and impulse to act.

If you don’t hear it, then odds are good it maybe it’s not something to undertake, at least not right now in the ways considered.

If you do, you’ll know.  And then it’s just between you, your consciousness and situation in life whether you do.

Don’t allow yourself to be shamed into it, or backed into a corner.  You didn’t create it.  And if you aren’t feeling the urge to do something about it, it’s not your problem to fix.

With that said, that doesn’t mean going around with a hardened heart.  Loving kindness is always at your disposal, and expressing it may be just what the doctor orders for both of you.

Times are tough out there, and there will be a lot of people in need.  A lot of sob stories will fill the air waves, and many voices will be crying out for someone, anyone to help.

Sometimes, though, the Divine Plan requires things to run their course so everyone can see and deal with its repercussions.

It’s hard to stand by and watch.  It breaks my heart, and as an empath, it tortures my soul when I let it.  But I must respect their journey and right to gather the experiences served up for them, unless God instructs me otherwise.

I hope you will find the strength to do the same.

God bless you indeed.

 

John Dennison
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