This is indeed the kind of giving that actually demands nothing. He does not expect his brother sufferer to pay him, or even to love him. Then he discovers that by the divine paradox of this kind of giving he has found his own reward, whether his brother has yet received anything or not.
Practically every A.A. member declares that no satisfaction has been deeper and no joy greater than in a Twelfth Step job well done. "Freely ye have received; freely give . . . "
We would have to develop the sense of being in partnership or brotherhood with all those around us. We saw that we would need to give constantly of ourselves without demand for repayment.
A kindly act once in a while isn't enough. You have to act the Good Samaritan every day, if need be.
So this idea that selfless behavior is its own reward is sprinkled through the literature of Alcoholics Anonymous. It's the basis of Step Twelve. It's the foundation of most of the world's philosophies and religions. My bad joke is to ask people if they want to have a good day and then suggest that they go somewhere quiet and think about themselves. It's a wonder that discounting my own well-being and elevating the well-being of others brings me great peace of mind, great serenity. I still have trouble getting my mind around it sometime.
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