There's no need for envy - there's enough to go round.

 My day job is an interesting one. A great one! There are times where I am totally feeling out of place - especially when a toilet door handle breaks, or lights stop working (my anxiety cries out "where's the handyman in my life?!?"). But then there are times when I just feel so 👏 darn 👏 touched 👏 by the ways that I see human interaction and connection flourish in this space. 

Co-working spaces are not just a place for you to get a more affordable working space where your children or housemates aren't constantly walking in on you during your creative process with fantastical or mundane and seemingly unimportant questions. They're not just startup hustle pods, where the mutual creativity between people becomes such a inertia-building hamster wheel that you feel shame if you jump off. They are a come-as-you-are space for you to flourish how you ought to flourish - and that's a kind of space I can get behind, especially as a mental health advocate.

So, fast forward to today. One thing I I've noticed is that the right people for permanent desk spaces and offices, those that match the community and add, rather than subtract, to the atmosphere of kindness and entrepreneurism - they're hard to find. A co-working space does normally narrow the search, especially the way it's marketed to the public, but you can sometimes find balancing different businesses and their needs tricky. 

We have two individuals in the space I manage that have, for instance, similar business endeavours. The other day, the newer member, whose business is not as far along as the other in terms of size, growth etc, came over to me. They looked shocked, yet at peace. I enquired as to what happened and they shared that they had just referred a client that was originally looking into contracting with their business to the other in the building. They shared that they knew it was a better fit for the client's needs, but they were equally shocked that they would give over a client (which = money, aka bread and butter for the table, especially in this current economic climate) to someone who is essentially their competitor, in the world of capitalism. 

I affirmed them for their honesty, and shared a thought that comes straight from scripture: those that honour God, God honours (1 Samuel 2:30). Said in not-so-religious terms, it can be said that when you do things out of love for others, you will be protected and upheld in your time of need. I said "in due time, you will receive affirmation for such an honest act." 

This morning, a package came for this individual. I placed it on their desk, and shortly after they arrived. For those that have seen me at work, you'll know I get suuuuuper excited about packages. I wait in anticipation to see/hear what they've received. I feel like a bearer of good news! I excitedly shared "a package came for you!" They were unaware of anything they had ordered and returned later to tell me that it was a gift from the other business owner in the building as a thank you for referring the client. A beautiful, leather-bound note book. We reflected over the kindness expressed by both of them - the fact that there's always space for everyone when we realise that we don't need to operate from a space of envy or jealousy, which are underpinned by the elusive "fear."

I once read a post by an online organisation called "Moral Revolution" - they shared this: 

envy is the result of a fear that God doesn't have enough to go round for everyone.

It was in the context of relationships, but I feel as though this applies to everything. When we act based on how we give rather than how much we receive, we act out of love, and not fear, and it will always be recognised and honoured by God, and by others through whom He works. 

These two business owners - there is enough for them both. They need not act out of self-preservation, for God is their provider, and He owns everything in the world! God gives at the right time and in the right way, to fit into the jigsaw puzzle that is our lives. I'm learning this so much in my workspace as I see people collaborate, refer on to one another, celebrate each other's successes and gift one another in ways that affirm their worth. I am grateful for the object lessons that this space offers. I am grateful for the authentic community it boasts. I am grateful for being a human on this big rock thing we call Earth, and I'm grateful to be a child of God, who is my provider.