What's in it for me?

We live in a world where selfishness prevails. We live in a world where people live in fear of not having enough. We live in a world where people would rather keep than give, all just to get ahead.

The interesting thing in all this, is that this is the exact opposite of how God would act. God has given us all that He has, in order for us to be happy...but somehow His giving us everything has made Him ultimately happy and prosperous.

When we put others first, we are blessed. When we think of how to better others' lives first, rather than our own, we are blessed. Many people would read this and think I've gotten it all wrong. I am not talking about the fact that we need to be strong and build ourselves up in order to help others, because that is also important.

I am talking about the mentality of selfishness that exists in too many of us.

President James E. Faust said,

"I have learned that selfishness has more to do with how we feel about our possessions than how much we have. The poet Wordsworth said, “The world is too much with us; late and soon, / Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.”A poor man can be selfish and a rich man generous, but a person obsessed only with getting will have a hard time finding peace in this life."

It is so liberating to give. It is so liberating to come to the realization that when we give, we do not loose anything; in fact we gain more of a life that will bring us joy. What more can we ask for than to be honestly happy? What is the point of having things if we are not happy?

Who knows, maybe we will be blessed with possessions beyond what we ever dreamed of...

But the point is to be happy with what we have and to always give; that way when the riches come, they won't determine our happiness, just add to it.

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." Luke 9:24