Become New with John Ortberg 17. Gotta Give It Away to Keep It
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Jun 1, 2021 A reflection on why some treasures grow when shared while others shrink when hoarded. Stories about sobriety and service illustrate how helping others strengthens what matters. A look at Aquinas’ idea of goods that expand with giving. Encouragement to fix your eyes on unseen, eternal realities like joy, gratitude, and humility.
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Why AA Celebrates The Second Sober Day
- John Ortberg recounts the origin of AA's anniversary being the day the second member took his last drink.
- The first member's sobriety proved fragile, and helping the second person strengthened his own recovery.
Great Goods Grow When You Share Them
- Thomas Aquinas distinguished goods that diminish when given away from goods that grow when shared.
- Aquinas called visible goods lesser and said greatest goods like joy and love increase in possession when you give them away.
The Seen Comes From The Unseen
- Ortberg highlights the biblical distinction between the seen and unseen, arguing the unseen (ideas, love, faith) is the deeper reality.
- Creation and human works begin with unseen decisions and ideas that produce visible results.