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by David Truman
Literally, to GIVE is to DELIVER -- to deliver a gift, whether it be a physical object, personal service, energy, or what have you. In every case, the true power of giving arises from the Spirit of giving. That Spirit is essentially a beautiful desire to further someone in some way, for example, the intention to uplift them.
The goal of upliftment brings to mind another connotation of delivery which is also very relevant to giving: DELIVERANCE. With that grand word, we're going to cut straight to the heart and soul of giving.
Deliverance
1.
something delivered or communicated
2.
the act of delivering or state of being delivered, as
(a)
the act of freeing or state of being freed (as from restraint, captivity, peril): rescue, liberation, release
(b)
the delivery of offspring.
The word "deliverance" gives us a big head start on understanding the real power, potential, and purpose of giving. With it, we can look with fresh eyes at the great good that can be done with giving, and how it is accomplished.
Delivering the receiver from evil
The word "deliverance" -- in the sense of delivering loving and healing energy -- has two meanings. The first meaning is the more obvious one: to deliver or give something; to provide something to someone. The second meaning, somewhat more esoteric, but more meaningful, is the spiritual one: "the act of freeing or state of being freed (as from restraint, captivity, peril): rescue, liberation, release." Let's look at that second meaning in detail.
The Lord's Prayer includes the plea, "Deliver us from evil." What we call deliverance -- giving in the spirit of love -- works to "deliver" both the giver and the receiver from evil. To understand what it MEANS to be delivered from evil, we first must know what is evil? That's easy: The evil that giving delivers us and others from is EGOIC MENTALITY -- the negative mind of unlove, negative self-image, and self-destructive smallness. Or to put this another way, the absence of true Self-awareness, the absence of light and love, is evil. To be delivered from evil, in this sense, is to be rescued from the clutches of ego-mind, and to be filled with light and love.
And in a down-to-earth but very true sense, to be delivered from evil is also to be saved from horrible conditions such as piles of dirty dishes -- we'll talk about that later.
The message practical service sends
Now we can consider the ways in which loving service can help deliver people from evil. Interestingly, one of the most salvatory or uplifting aspects of service is the message you send a person JUST BY SERVING THEM. As we pointed out, a low self-image is evil -- because any person who considers themselves unworthy of love is involved in an evil attack on their own image. Just by serving a person in the spirit of love, you convey to them the distinct impression that they DESERVE loving service. You reinforce their awareness of their own value in this way. Thus, your heartfelt service helps to deliver them from the evil of their assumptions of their own unworthiness, badness, etc.
With this in mind, never forget the real spiritual value of loving service and support on even the most humble, practical level -- cleaning the house, for example. To be served in ongoing, practical ways is, in some respects, MORE appealing and supportive of well-being than simply receiving random gifts. First, an ongoing commitment reflects the idea of devotion and loyalty much better than a random gift, however flashy, can possibly do. Second, the ongoing gift of energy in regular service is indeed a gift that keeps on giving. The cumulative benefit of service that is provided on an ongoing basis is enormous.
Example: In parenting, the parent who cares for the child day in and day out, in practical ways, does MORE for the child's feeling of being loved than a weekend parent can possibly do. While the special gifts and trips provided by the weekend parent may appeal to the child's EGO-MIND, the constancy of daily support appeals more to the child's HEART.
The quality of practical service
Needless to say, the intention of quality behind service is tremendously important in determining its impact, for better or worse. It is far less beneficial to do "good works" for someone else if the QUALITY of that service is not so good. If you want to benefit others maximally, you must not merely do good works, but also, do your work with great care. Do a conscientious, high-quality job on everything you do -- as if you were serving royalty -- because you are! All God's children deserve royal treatment.
People strongly respond to the degree and quality of care with which you serve them. Can there be any doubt that receiving service that is fit for a king or queen tends to raise a person's sense of who they are? And conversely, if the service rendered is sloppy or careless, what message does THAT send? The service says, "You don't deserve better than this."
Example: Imagine a mother who carelessly whips up some poorly cooked chow, and throws it on the table in front of her family. Do they feel important and cared for? Probably NOT!
Example: Now imagine if she serves up a fine presentation of food, cooked with care, and presented beautifully -- not just in the aesthetic arrangement, but with love in her heart. Does her family valued and feel cared for then? You bet!
Remember, then, in both the high quality and the loving spirit of service, you are communicating to people who you think they are. And make no mistake: Who you think they, as demonstrated by the spirit in which you serve them, are makes a big difference to them.
Delivering the GIVER from evil
It can truly be said, "Being free of ego is the best way to serve," but it is also true, "Serving is the best way to free oneself from ego."
So it's "Deliverer, deliver thyself" -- BY GIVING. Any person who makes the efforts necessary to deliver someone ELSE from evil will certainly, in the process, deliver themselves from evil -- from their own inner evils, to be exact. By establishing the right orientation in service, the would-be server is saved from the evils of his or her own ego-mind. Loving contemplation of the recipient while planning the service purifies thought, raises vibration and energy levels, and enhances well-being -- all before the service activity even begins! This, in itself, is a form of deliverance from evil for the server. And then, to maintain a caring orientation during the service activity itself, and to be fully engaged in activity that is genuinely helpful to others, also keeps the server well-protected from evil.
Example: What if you had a choice between sitting in your room getting depressed, or doing a wonderful dance that would bring joy to those who beheld it? Which do you think would be more beneficial to YOU? In all probability, to walk out and give that dance would be, in a real sense, to deliver YOURSELF from evil.
There can be no doubt that the lover benefits as much (or more) from giving love as the beloved does from receiving it. So when we reflect on the meaning and power of Deliverance, remember that it is also the server, not just the person served, who is being delivered from evil.
Valentine's Day everyday
When you give in the true Spirit of giving, you send someone two messages every bit as beautiful and personal as any Valentine conveys. You are saying, "You are good, and worthy of love," and "I care about you and want you to be happy."
For your happiness and theirs, make everyday Valentine's Day with loving service.

by David Truman

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