Radical Idea for Changing the World

Okay, so here’s a radical world-changing theory for you. If we are really serious about making a difference in the world around us, we’ve got to get past worrying about getting and start freely and unconditionally giving.

That may not sound so radical on the surface. Of course we know we should help those less fortunate than ourselves, tithe if we’re a part of a church group, give if we want to receive in networking situations, and the list goes on. All of these are commonly accepted and acceptable concepts.

But what I’m talking about is a foundational shift in thinking. How much time do you spend thinking about or acting on ways to get your needs met? If you’re like most people (me included!), I’m going to guess this kind of thought machinations take up a significant portion of your waking hours and probably some of your subconscious sleep time too.

We worry about making enough money, getting that latest must-have item on our list, paying the bills, whether we’re getting cheated by someone else, making sure we get what’s due us. Then if we’re lucky enough to get all our needs met and have something left over and feel so inclined, we pass along our spare change to some worthy cause.

What if we were to take every last minute of that “getting”-focused time and completely transform it to a giving focus? What if we could genuinely quit worrying about what we need and want, and instead focus on taking what we have and putting it to good use in the world around us?

I bet several things would happen. There would be a lot less fighting and war in the world as our hearts would be literally broken by the genuine needs around us. Our needs would likely be met without us worrying about them. We’d find out we were a lot richer in the things that really matter. We’d be happier and less worried in our day-to-day lives. And the world truly would be slowly changed.

Now that’s a radical thought… one I’m not sure I’m ready to actually put into practice either!