You do something kind and thoughtful for another and receive no thanks. Friends and family members rarely call or answer your letters. You put a lot of time and effort into a project at home, school, business, or church, and you hear less than complimentary comments from others.
One common reaction to such situations is to feel slighted, to retreat into a cocoon of self-pity or resentment. It seems easy to succumb to the subtle suggestion that in some way one's worth has been diminished through others' lack of appreciation.
Christian Science helps us to rise above these debilitating emotions. It teaches us to begin rightly in everything we do or say—to check our motives. The proper starting point is to recognize that any genuine expression of love or affection in our lives is actually a reflection of divine Love, God, and not a personal commodity.
