Achieving Prosperity

It is granted only to the heart that abounds with integrity, trust, generosity and love to realize true prosperity. The heart that is not possessed of these qualities cannot know prosperity, for prosperity, like happiness, is not an outward possession, but an inward realization. The greedy man may become a millionaire, but he will always be wretched, and mean, and poor, and will even consider himself outwardly poor so long as there is a man in the world who is richer than himself, whilst the upright, the open-handed and loving will realize a full and rich prosperity, even though their outward possessions may be small. “He is poor who is dissatisfied; he is rich who is contented with what he has,” and he is richer who is generous with what he has.

Only a heart full of integrity, trust, generosity, and love can know true prosperity. A heart without these qualities cannot know prosperity. Like happiness, prosperity is not something you own, but something you experience within. A greedy man may become a millionaire, but he will always be miserable, petty, and poor. He will even consider himself materially poor as long as anyone in the world is richer than he is. But honest, generous, and loving people will experience full and rich prosperity, even if they own little. “A person who is dissatisfied is poor. A person who is content with what they have is rich.” And a person who is generous with what they have is richer still.

When we contemplate the fact that the universe is abounding in all good things, material as well as spiritual, and compare it with man’s blind eagerness to secure a few gold coins, or a few acres of dirt, it is then that we realize how dark and ignorant selfishness is; it is then that we know that self-seeking is self-destruction.

The universe is full of all good things, both material and spiritual. Yet people blindly rush to acquire a few gold coins or a few acres of dirt. When we compare the two, we realize how dark and ignorant selfishness is. We also see that seeking only our own gain leads to our own destruction.

Nature gives all, without reservation, and loses nothing; man, grasping all, loses everything.

Nature gives all freely and loses nothing. But man grasps for all and loses everything.

If you would realize true prosperity do not settle down, as many have done, into the belief that if you do right everything will go wrong. Do not allow the word “competition” to shake your faith in the supremacy of righteousness. I care not what men may say about the “laws of competition,” for do I not know the unchangeable Law, which shall one day put them all to rout, and which puts them to rout even now in the heart and life of the righteous man? And knowing this Law I can contemplate all dishonesty with undisturbed repose, for I know where certain destruction awaits it.

If you want to achieve true prosperity, do not fall into a belief that many people hold. They believe that if you do what is right, everything will go wrong. Do not let the word “competition” shake your faith that righteousness is supreme. I do not care what people say about the “laws of competition.” I know the unchanging Law that will one day defeat them all. Even now, this Law defeats them in the heart and life of a righteous person. Because I know this Law, I can look at all dishonesty with calm. I know where certain destruction awaits it.

Under all circumstances do that which you believe to be right, and trust the Law; trust the Divine Power that is imminent in the universe, and it will never desert you, and you will always be protected. By such a trust all your losses will be converted into gains, and all curses which threaten will be transmuted into blessings. Never let go of integrity, generosity, and love, for these, coupled with energy, will lift you into the truly prosperous state. Do not believe the world when it tells you that you must always attend to “number one” first, and to others afterwards. To do this is not to think of others at all, but only of one’s own comforts. To those who practice this the day will come when they will be deserted by all, and when they cry out in their loneliness and anguish there will be no one to hear and help them. To consider one’s self before all others is to cramp and warp and hinder every noble and divine impulse. Let your soul expand, let your heart reach out to others in loving and generous warmth, and great and lasting will be your joy, and all prosperity will come to you.

In every situation, do what you believe is right and trust the Law. Trust the Divine Power present in the universe. It will never abandon you, and you will always be protected. Through this trust, all your losses will become gains, and all threatened curses will become blessings. Never let go of integrity, generosity, and love. Together with energy, these qualities will lift you into a truly prosperous state. Do not believe the world when it tells you to always put “number one” first and others afterward. Doing this means not thinking of others at all, but only of your own comfort. Those who live this way will one day be abandoned by everyone. When they cry out in loneliness and anguish, no one will hear and help them. Putting yourself before everyone else restricts, distorts, and holds back every noble and divine impulse. Let your soul expand. Let your heart reach out to others with loving and generous warmth. Your joy will be great and lasting, and all prosperity will come to you.

Those who have wandered from the highway of righteousness guard themselves against competition; those who always pursue the right need not to trouble about such defence. This is no empty statement, There are men to-day who, by the power of integrity and faith, have defied all competition, and who, without swerving in the least from their methods, when competed with, have risen steadily into prosperity, whilst those who tried to undermine them have fallen back defeated.

Those who have strayed from the path of righteousness protect themselves against competition. Those who always do what is right need not worry about such defenses. This is no empty claim. There are men today who have defied all competition through integrity and faith. When faced with competition, they have not changed their methods in the slightest. They have grown steadily more prosperous, while those who tried to undermine them have fallen back in defeat.

To possess those inward qualities which constitute goodness is to be armored against all the powers of evil, and to be doubly protected in every time of trial; and to build oneself up in those qualities is to build up a success which cannot be shaken, and to enter into a prosperity which will endure forever.

To have the inner qualities that make up goodness is to be protected against all the powers of evil. It is also to be doubly protected in every time of trial. To develop those qualities is to build a success that cannot be shaken and gain prosperity that will last forever.