QUESTION:
“I am always conflicted on whether or not to help support charities or causes by giving a small donation. I feel bad when I say ‘no’ to the request of a donation. I know that the most precious gift I can give them is my prayerful support, but is it wrong to help with a financial donation too? Jesus says in Matthew 6 ” No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Is that what I’m doing when I offer my prayerful support as well as give a few dollars to a material cause? What does Mrs. Eddy say about supporting charities and/or causes?”

ANSWER:
I think generosity is one of the most natural and winning qualities expressed by man. It reflects the power and goodness and abundance of the divine. A friend recently pointed out that every unselfish act—even one as simple as driving a friend to the airport— has its origins in divine Love.

So I feel it’s natural to both pray and to act with generosity. In fact, we can participate generously, intelligently, and meaningfully – as well as prayerfully — in every aspect of our world and throughout our everyday interactions. Our prayers can be coupled with, and result in, tangible activity.

The life of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, is filled with examples of prayer-inspired human action. For instance, I recently learned that for several years in the early 1900’s Mrs. Eddy arranged for thousands of New Hampshire school children to be fitted with new shoes. Her prayer for these children resulted in tangible human goodness.

Thoughts and deeds fit together. A benevolent thought naturally results in benevolence. An unselfish motive finds unlabored expression in acts of unselfishness. Cause and effect go together. Mary Baker Eddy once famously wrote, “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.” This describes the divine method of redeeming each human situation. The key, to me, is to always look to the divine and then let those inspired ideas freely and generously be expressed in life.

Article originally appeared in The Christian Science Journal, October 2010.
Republished with permission of The Christian Science Publishing Society.