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Giving and receiving, you see, are inextricably linked. One always follows the other. And the amount you receive will always be more than that which you gave. It has to. It is spiritual law.
My all time favorite Bible verse about giving and receiving comes from Malachi 3:10:
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.—King James Version
It’s true. Giving generates receiving every time. I’ve seen it work in my life and I’ve seen in work in other people’s lives. Truly, you cannot out-give God. But to maximize the results from giving and receiving, there are a few general principles that you should follow.
Guidelines for Giving and Receiving
1. Money is not the only instrument of return. Indeed, giving of your time, giving of your talent, giving of your love are all powerful forms of giving. And your gift doesn’t have to be anything that anyone can see. For instance, if you extend so much as the thought of kindness and compassion toward another, you have given that person a powerful gift that will be multiplied and returned to you.
2. Give in the form of your need. Although any form of giving will generate a return, it is most powerful if you give in the form of your need. So…if you need money, give money. If you need friendship, give friendship. If you need the perfect job, help a friend get their perfect job.
3. Don’t expect anything in return. Why? Because giving while expecting a payback is not true giving. It is a humanistic selfishness. Give generously, your only motive being your desire to help another fellow earth traveler, and watch how the Universe generously meets every one of your needs.
4. Don’t expect to receive back from the person you gave to. It will seldom happen this way. Your return will likely come from a totally unexpected source.
5. Give anonymously. As much as possible, keep your generosity and your good deeds secret. The reason for this rule is that when you bask in others’ praise of your good deeds, your ego steps in. Your motive for giving then becomes the good opinion of others. Jesus said (and I’m reciting this from memory, so this may not be the exact quote) to “give in secret so that your father, who sees in secret, shall reward you openly.”
6. Give joyously. Much more important than the size of your gift is your attitude while giving it. Although any type of giving will generate a return, those that are bestowed joyously, with great excitement and happiness, will bring the biggest return—and it will happen much more quickly, too. Giving joyousely probably should have been listed first, because it is the most important part of the spiritual law of giving and receiving.
Random Acts of Kindness
So how do you put this new giving and receiving practice into action? It’s easier than you think. All you have to do is perform random acts of kindness as your spirit moves you. Here are some simple ways to give gifts that keep on giving—from the Universe.
1. When you pull up to a toll booth, pay the toll of the car behind you (a stranger) along with your own.
2. When you eat at a restaurant, pay another patron’s bill. Remember, do this anonymously. Get the waitress to give you their bill so that you can pay it. Don’t stay around for thanks from the strangers whose dinner you just bought.
3. On a snowy day, wait for your neighbor to leave for work, and then plow or shovel their driveway. Do not tell them what you did for them.
4. After you eat dinner at a restaurant, give the waitress an extra large tip.
5. For one whole day, find something to appreciate about every person you meet, and then give each person one—or more—honest, heartfelt compliments.
Boy, this is fun. I could go on and on thinking up various random acts of kindness. But now it’s your turn. What random acts of kindness can you add to this list?
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