It is not only what you say and do that makes your contribution to the world. It is first simply that you say and that you do, whether or not anyone else listens, reads, or observes your deed. You allow your True Self the freedom to be inspired from Beyond, energized authentically without the obligation to impress, get attention, or try to meet the demands of others. You let the inspiration form into some concrete action or language which expresses the newness you receive from Beyond society’s imposed boundaries.
But content does matter
We can radiate goodness as well as badness. Confessing our limits and waiting for the Love of God to transform us will result in word and deed of humility, Truth and health for all Creation. However, I recently heard a man claim in very authoritative tones that public schools are secretly conducting operations to change children’s genders. He was trying to frighten us into giving him the power to shut down public education. Other times he has warned us that dark invaders are sneaking into our backyards and eating our pets, a lie meant to sow hate of immigrants. His words have incited people to crime, violence and recently trying to put a company out of business for opposing him.
This person is not speaking humanely for the common good but pouring out self-serving content to get voted into power. Millions of people claiming the name of Jesus Christ also claim that the man promoting these lines of thought is God’s chosen one. Yet, it is clear he is an antichrist when you remember that Jesus demonstrated humility, self-sacrificing love, healing word and deed, and truth speaking — just for starters.
The Christ-Contrast
Does a person’s content dispel fear, offer hope, and call the best forth from all who follow them? To pursue the light of God’s goodness makes us radiate that light. This is the Christ-like measure of the kind of people we need administering a nation. The messenger must live the Truth and Goodness before even verbalizing. To be is much more than saying dramatic attention-grabbers. Just to know that someone is pursuing Truth, Justice and the Good for All energizes me to be like that. The phenomenon of a fellow creature creating content should cultivate seeds of Truth and Goodness, not drag us down into pessimistic bitterness and animosity.
What Will We Listen To?
In Isaiah 6 God tells the messenger that the people will not listen. The messenger asks “Then, how long do I keep telling them?” God’s answer is to keep expressing until the people are no more and only their ruins remain. God adds that there will be a tree stump that is still viable among the ruins. (See the blog post HERE.)
The value of the messenger or their message is not that they attract the most followers or have the biggest rallies.
There is no end to multiplying words, good or bad, for words cannot contain all that we are called to be. The offering of inspiration through a few, well-chosen words and images is sufficient witness that there is more for us beyond the extravaganzas of our limited world.
Contrast this with the massive overflow of verbiage and images constantly assaulting our eyes and ears, desperately trying to “hook” us. Let us exert such controls as we can, and take regular retreats from the noise.
“… my soul in silence waits.”
Psalm 62
Like the psalmist we can clear our minds and give place in our hearts for spiritual inspiration of the word and deed needed in our world.
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