Meeting human needs
A Christian Science perspective: Giving to others enables us to better understand God’s love and care for all.
A fundamental point the Bible brings out is that God cares for humanity’s needs – whether it’s a need for love or a more basic need such as food.
As we consider this we might ask, how do we prove, or demonstrate, this to be true? Some insight on this question may be found in the book of Isaiah: “if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul;... the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought,... and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not” (58:10, 11).
To me this says that unselfish giving and love for others bring to light the ever-present good that flows from God to everyone. Giving of ourselves enables us to understand and prove that care for ourselves and others. It’s not that God wasn’t taking care of us before, but rather, being unselfish, kind, and loving transforms our thinking from a feeling of God’s absence to the realization of divine Love’s ever-presence.
During a period of unemployment and lack in my life, I turned to the Bible and was led to a couple of verses in II Corinthians, Chapter 8. In this section of the Apostle Paul’s letter, he is entreating the Christians at Corinth to help the Christians at Jerusalem in whatever way they can. The whole chapter is about giving. Verse 14 reads: “now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality.”
The verses I read led me to realize that no matter what situation we are in, we always have something to give. This giving not only blesses others, but it also blesses us. It helps us feel God’s goodness, where a sense of despair or darkness may have formerly held sway, and this change in thought brings good into our experience in practical ways that meet our need.
As I understood my situation through this inspiration – that a feeling of the absence of God’s love and care in my life could be dissolved by looking outward – I found ways to freely give of the talents that I had. As I did that, I quickly found a part-time job, which soon led to full-time and rewarding employment.
I continue to look for fresh ways to meet the needs of others. This always results in a mutual blessing and a deeper trust in divine Love’s care for all.
The Monitor’s founder, Mary Baker Eddy, made this statement: “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 494).