Daily Inspiration 6-8-11

"Peace is not the absence of war; it is a virtue; a state of mind;

a disposition for benevolence; confidence; and justice."

-- Baruch Spinoza

"The most important thing in life is to learn

how to give out love, and to let it come in."

-- Morrie Schwartz, quoted by Mitch Albom

It's funny how you hear one word and that takes you to a place in your mind where some other memory pops up and then kind of sticks with you part of the day--and even sometimes much longer.

Today, I was at a meeting and I heard the word "evangelize." It was used not in the typical religious reference but as in "enthusiastically promoting." I got the meaning, but that word just jumped out because it didn't seem like it would have been there, and then again, it wasn't that it was a wrong choice, just an interesting choice.

It took me back a few years. I was a worship leader in church for about 9 years and I wrote a lot of songs and played them in church, but I was a black sheep I suppose in that I didn't fit the typical mold for that position. I wrote over 100 songs during that time and played probably about 75 of them in church, some only once maybe, others more, and there is one song that stands out so far from the rest that it stands alone. It was also the most popular one I did--or at least that is my take based on how loud the singing was. But, to me it is the most important song I wrote and to me it says what I think is the most important.

When I wrote it, which took just a few minutes, I was thinking, what does God need of our praise? What does God need of our gifts? What does God need of our devotion? So, I thought about that and then thought, what could we give God that would have any significance, or meaning? He has everything already, so what in the world could we give Him? Here's what came out:

GIVE THE LORD AWAY

WHAT CAN WE GIVE TO THE LORD TODAY?

WE CAN GIVE THE LORD, GIVE THE LORD AWAY.

WHAT CAN WE GIVE TO THE LORD TODAY?

WE CAN GIVE THE LORD, GIVE THE LORD AWAY.

WRITING OUT A CHECK IS ONE WAY WE CAN BLESS;

EVEN THOUGH IT'S WONDERFUL, WE NEED TO DO THE REST.

THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO DO TO HELP HIS LIGHT SHINE TRUE.

BY GIVING LOVE, WE GIVE THE LORD AWAY.

WHAT CAN WE GIVE TO THE LORD TODAY?

WE CAN GIVE THE LORD, GIVE THE LORD AWAY.

WHAT CAN WE GIVE TO THE LORD TODAY?

WE CAN GIVE THE LORD, GIVE THE LORD AWAY.

BY GIVING LOVE, WE GIVE THE LORD AWAY.

BY GIVING LOVE, WE GIVE THE LORD AWAY.

It seemed to me that the only thing that we can give God that would be meaningful would be to give Him away, but not by evangelizing in the typical way, but by doing the simplest and most profound thing possible, by giving love, because it seemed to me that by giving love, we are giving the Lord away.

I like how Mother Teresa is quoted: "Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier," and "We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do."

It's Not What We Keep But What We Give Away. . .

Spread Some Joy Today--Many of us are not used to giving love openly--especially in business situations, but practice will change that, and it is the easiest practice too!