"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom" (Luke 6:38). These are the words of Christ Jesus to his disciples. They contain a vital metaphysical truth, obedience to which brings great rewards in peace and happiness.
A valuable lesson on the subject of getting instead of giving may be learned from the Old Testament. Long before the time of Jesus, the writer of Ecclesiastes learned the folly of believing that satisfaction could be found in accumulating material things or satisfying human desires. It is related that he gathered together every material thing he wanted—great houses, vineyards, orchards, silver and gold—only to find that "all was vanity and vexation of spirit" (2:11). He learned the emptiness of material riches or worldly fame.
To those laboring today under the delusion that getting material possessions results in happiness, Christian Science brings the spiritual understanding of Jesus' words regarding the blessings received from giving and shows their demonstrability in human experience. It teaches one many ways of giving. For example, if one would have love, he must give love. If he would be appreciated, he must learn to appreciate the good in others. To be joyful, one must give joy to those around him.
