Should I feel guilt about not giving away money? Q #1039: As a mail man, I meet the public daily, and I am in a quandary about my brother who asks me for money daily. I know there are no chance meetings. At first I perceived he needed monetary assistance. I then JUDGED that he was freeloading. Is my lesson to give all the time (he looks for 5 dollar bills) because the Son of God has it all? I finally told him I couldnt give any more because I cant afford it. I felt terrible about it for a while, until I conceded I just dont have the faith required to give like that, and knowing the One Who Knows keeps working with me. My brother stopped asking me but I know Ill come to this crossroads again. A: Your decision to stop giving away money you cant afford to give seems to be a good one. When A Course in Miracles tells us we have everything, it is referring to the only need we truly have, which is our need for the Holy Spirit, Who represents the right mind. In other words, having a right mind that holds the memory of God is everything . It is all we truly need. Obviously, this has nothing to do with meeting physical needs, our own or someone elses. However, while we identify with the body, its needs must be met. Having our one true need met through the presence of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we have an unlimited supply of physical things, such as money. So, there is nothing wrong with using common sense in the distribution of funds, while at the same time seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit to search the minds for thoughts that reflect the choice for separation. Whenever guilt enters awareness, it means the mind has chosen separation, regardless of the apparent external catalyst for the guilt feeling. In choosing to be separate from God, the mind decides to be author of a separate identity, thereby stealing authorship from God. The insanity of this delusion of creative power is the source of tremendous guilt that is projected out of the mind onto a situation in the dream; e.g. meeting a brother in need of financial assistance. In the egos twisted thinking, his need is perceived as the result of his somehow having been robbed of his rightful share of earthly goods. Fundamental to the egos thought system is the belief that in order for someone to gain, another must lose. Thus, if this brother doesnt have what I have, I must have stolen it from him. Since stealing power from God is how the separated self came into being, whatever I have, I stole. That is why it is so common to experience guilt when confronted with those who are deemed less fortunate. Once this system is set in motion, one misperception follows another. Resentment for having been exploited by a freeloader follows the choice to give money; guilt for being selfish and unkind follows the choice not to give money. We come to this vicious circle whenever we decide to listen to the ego. You cant win on the egos turf. The only way out of this unwinable situation is willingness to pay attention to the feelings and judgments that come up in any situation, seeing in them the effect of the minds decision to be separate. What the ego ultimately goes for is the turmoil of guilt that keeps the mind rooted in the worlds dilemmas, rather than the quiet peace of the right mind. Every situation can be transformed when a decision is made to choose the Holy Spirit instead of the ego. The question then becomes, to whom will I listen: the ego or the Holy Spirit? The specific behavior of giving or not giving is of no concern to the Holy Spirit. His agenda is only the content of the mind that has the power to choose to remember or forget its identity as mind. The crossroads in every situation consists in one road that leads to the guilt of the egos thinking, and one that leads to the peace of the Holy Spirit. Whether you give or dont give, the egos road is paved with the guilt that originates in the mind that chose the ego, not from the act of giving or withholding a hand-out. Likewise, choosing the Holy Spirit brings peace whether you give or not. The mistake lies in thinking that the external circumstances can generate or abolish guilt, or have any effect on the mind whatsoever: “…all external things are only shadows of a decision already made” (P.2.IV.2:4). This fact rests on a very fundamental principle of the Courses teaching: “ Ideas leave not their source” (T.26.VII.4:7) . That is why there are no specific guidelines for behavior in the Course. Rather, it teaches us to see everything in our lives as an opportunity to shift the focus back to the mind by becoming aware of its thoughts and judgments. That is how we begin the practice of forgiveness in every situation in which we find ourselves, which is the only meaningful thing we can offer another. What we all truly need is the healing of our minds of the thought of separation, and until our minds are healed we are all begging for forgiveness. Remembering this frees us to be guided by the Holy Spirit to give a few dollars or not, without the burden of the egos guilt. facimoutreach.org/qa/questions/questions213.htm#Q1039
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 13:51:13 +0000
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