“See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving. For in truth it is life that gives unto life— while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.” KHALIL GIBRAN

What is the love inside of you unless you give it away?

Giving is the manifestation of loving. Without giving, you may be living. But living without loving is only existence, and existence often is a state of lack and an empty hope that someone will come along and save you from all the things that are happening “to” you.

Loving fills the lack and opens the awareness of the inner wisdom and the knowledge that you are the creator of your universe and that nothing happens to you that you do not create, promote, or allow.

Loving is that active, dynamic part of you that accepts responsibility for all that you are and will be and lives in a state of open awareness.

The Spirit is eternal and is a gift that will endure forever. Spirit is free, and that means that you can be as free as you are willing to give Spirit away. That willingness to share all of yourself—all that you are—is your freedom. If you try to grab a hold of Spirit, you defeat yourself; and you lose yourself. Give it away and you will find it returned to you in more ways than you can imagine.

You can’t fake it. You can’t say you are giving and loving and make anyone believe it, unless you demonstrate that giving. It is by your works that you are known, not by your intentions. People are very perceptive. You can’t fool them. Words of love are not necessarily loving. Loving is active. Loving is giving the God that lives within you to the God that lives within all people everywhere.

Loving is sharing yourself.

Give yourself a gift of loving. Give yourself a gift of completing each day as it comes to a close and of awakening to the newness in you as each new day dawns. As you reside in your loving heart at each and every moment, you find that you reside permanently in the Christ and that you will never be separated from His grace and His presence. And you will experience the living Christ as your Beloved.

John-Roger [Serving and Giving p.115)