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"Healing is not creating a perfect
body or a perfect idea; it is
revealing an idea which is already perfect. Healing is not a
Process. It is a revelation." - Ernest Holmes - The
Science of Mind
In our human confusion many of
us have considered modesty and humility to be good character qualities.
But our understanding of modesty and humility have been distorted and
can create feelings of inferiority and superiority. Some people
are so seemingly modest and humble that they have become arrogant in
their quest to be identified as modest and humble.
The Master Mind Jesus stated that we are to "Let your Light so
shine," in order to glorify God, the strength of God. If I am
assured that God Is my strength then I will automatically have a greater
sense of confidence and self-assurance. The only valid modesty and
humility is to know that "It Is the Father that worketh in
me." But ........ this knowing that It Is the Father working
in me must be demonstrated in a life filled with confidence and
self-assurance in doing the work that is mine to do. "The
Father works and I work," Jesus declared. In other words I am
only doing that which God has given me to do knowing that I have also
been given everything necessary to do it! No false modesty or
humility in this.
Many
churches, both traditional and metaphysical, have used the term
"Sacred Service" to elicit services from their members free of
charge. The philosophy behind this is that "service" to
a church or spiritual institution is somehow more "sacred"
than doing work that compensates us. But, there is no spiritual
basis for this philosophy. As we align ourselves with
Universal Spirit, there is no big or small, greater or lesser. Our
"service" is to God and God Is Infinite Abundance ... very
capable of compensating us for our services.
Service
then, is a form of giving and giving aligns us with the Universal
Principles of Prosperity and Reciprocity .......... "give and be
given to" ...... we give knowing that our gift returns to us with
an increase (Prosperity) and we know that in the Universe there is
always a "reciprocal" action. But, so much of the
service that is given, is done out of obligation or intimidation and not
from the same sense of "giving" that we have when we
"tithe." To "tithe" without recognizing the
reciprocal response of the Universe is to deny ourselves the
"increase" that is the reciprocal action of the Principle of
Tithing (as taught by Jesus). To give "service" and
expect nothing in return ......... except for maybe a little "ego
recognition" is to waste our precious gifts that God has given us
to not only prosper ourselves but also the Universe in which we live.
Service and
Tithing are both elements of "confidence and self-assurance"
in that we give with confidence knowing that we are part of the
Universal Good. But, if we do not see an increase of Good in our
Life in some form, then we must examine our reasons for service and for
tithing and correct this in our consciousness. To Universal
Spirit, payment to our plumber is no lesser a gift than tithing to a
church or minister ... we definitely "expect" to receive a
benefit from our plumber. The same applies to service.
Service to an accounting firm is no less a gift to the Universe than
service to a synagogue, church or metaphysical institution ...... all
are included in the Omnipresent Life that God Is. It is up to us
to insure that we are not "casting our pearls before swine,"
as the Master Teacher cautioned, and if we are not demonstrating an
increase of Good (Joy, Peace, Happiness, Love, Harmony, Light, Strength,
Abundance) in our Life ......... then our service and our tithes are
being misdirected.
Dr. Holmes, Founder of Religious
Science and author of the Science of Mind, warns us not to adopt
anyone else's teachings. He states, "Do not adopt the letter of
my teaching, but the spirit, and you will find, as I did, that you will
begin to formulate a system that is true for you. I learned for me, and
you must learn for yourself that you must develop your own faith and
confidence in your own interpretation of God, humanity, and the
universe."
As we let go of the
obligations, the giving without reciprocity, the service without an
increase, we can begin to build a greater sense of confidence and
self-assurance .... knowing that we are instruments of the Divine ...
that we can formulate our own system of spiritual values that is true
for us .. and with this understanding .... nothing or no one can stop us
from achieving our healing of the beliefs, concepts and obligations that
have not benefited us. Then .... we are ready to "LET
OUR LIGHT SO SHINE!!!!"
And
So It Is!
Letting
Love Use Me In Its Own Good Way,
Henry
Lee Bates
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