Wednesday, September 24, 2025
If you’re in need, give. That sounds counterintuitive. We often think that “ask and you shall receive” means “ask God for something,” palms open, reaching out to the sky. That god isn’t coming.
If you’re in need, initiate the act of giving/receiving. If you need friendship, give the other the call first. If you’re in need of money, give some first. So when you think, “ask and you shall receive,” it means to ask yourself – “What do I need to give?”
Ask and you shall receive. What do I ask for? Nothing! Ask yourself, “what can I do to help my fellow human?” That’s what ask means – to ask yourself what’s your purpose and to give that some thought, then give some time and creative energy. Something is bound to come up – like a blog! It doesn’t say “ask for something.” It says, “ask (what can I give? – then do it) and you shall receive.” I added the parenthetical to make things clearer.
Reaching out to a non-extant god who never comes through for you is what keeps your palms empty. If you need god to come through, then ask your fellow human “How can I be of service to you?” Ask yourself, “How can I contribute to the areas of need around me?”
You can give first. That initiates the circulation of need and supply. The giving/receiving activation cycle initiates with a gift, giving someone a call, giving thanks, giving a damn, etc.
A new spin on an old rule. Ask yourself, “What can I give, poor needy thing I am?” Give whatever – but initiate it. It comes back, but it’s always initiated by asking “what can I give,” then going out and doing it. Stop reaching out to the sky, and start reaching out to your fellow humans. Then, your needs will be met.