MOH part 2
Make Others Happy. I'm convinced that's the secret to happiness. And since our credo says, "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," it seems to me that the pursuit is more important than the happiness. The journey is more important than the destination. Touching people's lives is what it means to truly live. Because to live is to love and to love is to live. Try this one on for size, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others" (Philippians 2:4). When we stop trying to get... we are free to give. And when we give, we live. Because in the same way that living is loving, love is giving. You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving. And you can't give what you don't have. You can only give what you do have. So you can't give happiness to others unless you have happiness. Remember the definition of happy? Being pleased about a particular thing? And we just saw "don't look at your own things, but at the things of others." We worry so much about what we think we don't have that we miss out on what we do have. What we have to share! When we look at others--guys, it's the difference between being self-centered and being Christ-centered. Because being Christ-centered means being people-centered. Remember when Jesus said, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40)? We love God by loving people. So when we look at others we can see their needs. And when we know what we've got we can meet their needs. And when we bring them happiness we experience happiness. It becomes real. Because when you share something... it grows. It's not just "mine" anymore. It's ours. Everytime I us the word "mine" with my son he corrects me and changes it to "ours." Because he knows what's mine is his and what's his is mine. He knows we're in this together. And I can tell you without a doubt that my greatest moments of happiness correspond directly with HIS greatest moments of happiness. Because we're connected. Making him happy MAKES me happy. HE is the particular thing that gives me pleasure. So I don't worry about me. I concern myself with him. And guess what? He's only five, but his whole life he's returned the favor. He's always had my back. He always makes sure I'm covered. Because he loves me. Because I love him. At five HIS happiness is still the most important thing to him... but he's already learning what true happiness is all about. It's not about getting. It's about giving. It's about people. It's about BEING happy and making others happy. Sharing what you have and who you are. Giving what you've got instead of worrying about what you don't have. Living for others and finding that they are worth it. Finding happiness in the pursuit. In the act of giving...