What You Give…

Far be it for me to question Benjamin Franklin, who said, “The only things certain in life are death and taxes.” Those are, but consider a third: The only things that can never be taken from you are what you have given away. In that eternal vault, God’s eyes and your heart, there is no missing, losing, or stealing the love, labor, peace, or gifts we give to others; they are eternally there, for all time.

Not for nothing does the Bible say, “Not a sparrow falls…” without His knowing. The point is not unimportant but may become more so as the government grows, superficial priorities replace real, and life is cheapened, material worries threaten to overwhelm us. Pause, breathe, smile.

What consolation could possibly be more uplifting, more powerful, more fulfilling, or lead you more to relax, take stock of who you are, be happy in yourself, and be aware of how eternity works, than to know that all the love you have given, those thankless chores, unrecognized deeds your heart compelled, pain of others heard and healed, burdens lifted, counsel and caring – count?

What insurance policy could you ever buy that rewarded you as richly as knowing that, if the world ended tomorrow, all was suddenly lost, your bank account gone, computer hacked, home flooded, lawsuits met you on waking, you were still rich – with the love you had shown others?

We live in a time when taking, grabbing, feeling last to see an entitlement, somehow drawn into a game of measuring ourselves by what we have, and can get, is “the thing.” We see the sunset and think of darkness, trying to grab the last light, forgetting the sun reflects forever in the moon.

No one can take from you the time you gave to someone in need when you thought you did not have it – someone in peril, a relative, friend, or stranger who needed you. This God knows … and you must know He knows, and nothing in the future can erase those acts of kindness.

In the Bible, Mark and Luke write of Christ describing a widow, no means, worried for those of no means, who gives all, “two mites.” Says Christ: “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave … of wealth, she … everything she had.”

Not lost, never lost, always piling up, like treasure in heaven, are those things we think we have done of no measurable significance yet invaluable, time and labor, conscience over worldly considerations, helping with finances maybe, but more taking time, helping with a doctor’s appointment, yard chore, something broken needing repair, dropping a card, just being there.

How often have we been grateful for little things, a smile or forgiving word, unexpected assistance or understanding making a rough day better and unexpectedly, agitation or error overlooked, mercy?

Life is short, and at times profoundly unfair. Franklin was right, some things we wish were not certain unfortunately are, like death and taxes. But there is more to life than death and taxes, more than getting ahead or not falling behind. There is the treasure set aside … by being kind.

So, when the glum bunnies, dumb bunnies, media hosts, demons, and ghosts come calling, send them packing. We are not defined by them today. We are, in the end, the sum of how fully we live and how deeply we love, because what we give to others … can never be taken away.

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.