Give And You Will Receive
To the music of Jim Croce’s “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim”
No matter where I’m drawn,
No matter which church or school of thought,
I see similarities abounding,
Drawing us closer together.
One group adores their savior;
Another studies Science of Mind.
Holy Eucharist is celebrated
While hands of praise are waving high
Very close by.
They all say:
Give and you will receive;
See the positive in everything.
Love goodness more than any idol and love
Whomever comes along.
Somebody finds God in solitude or nature;
Another watches a TV screen.
Families gather at the mega-churches
Or they stay home to get the laundry done.
People know that Earth is blossoming
And each individual plays a part.
Maybe some play soccer or a video game.
A parent might stay at work.
And yet I hear an echo, affirming:
Give and you will receive;
See the positive in everything.
Love goodness more than any idol and love
Whomever comes along.
Cont.
A dear friend told me about
Her Eastern friends, Rumi and Lao Tzu:
“Feel yourself being quietly drawn
by the deeper pull of what you truly love.”
Rumi also said, “But listen to me:
for one moment quit being sad.
Hear blessings, [hear blessings] dropping
their blossoms around you.”
Lao Tzu said,
“Be content with what you have;
Rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there’s nothing lacking,
The whole world belongs to you.”
Did they mean:
Give and you will receive;
See the positive in everything.
Love goodness more than any substitute and love
Whomever comes along.
“Be content with what you have;
Rejoice in the way things are.
When you realize there’s nothing lacking,
The whole world belongs to you.”
Give and you will receive;
Find the gift even in what’s difficult.
Love goodness more than any idol
And love whomever comes along.
Give and you will receive;
See the positive in everything.
Love goodness, love goodness more . . .
And love whomever comes along.
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