What is real progress?
Is it a bigger house, car, more financial stability, etc?
Progress is the maturing conception of divine Love; –Mary Baker Eddy
Collective progress is really about spiritualizing consciousness. About gaining more of the true, unconditional, all inclusive sense of divine Love that uplifts and blesses. As humanity gains clearer views of this spiritual love, fear and anxiety diminish, and peace reigns. It’s not about each person taking their corner on peace. But about the kingdom of heaven reigning in us and the spiritual peace which accompanies that individually and collectively. This is transformative for humanity!
Gaining an inclusive sense of divine Love that kneels to wash each other’s feet — a symbol of humbleness — is a sign of self-sacrifice, true wisdom, and everlasting peace.
The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother’s need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another’s good.–Mary Baker Eddy
We can’t build safely on a false sense of what constitutes satisfaction, love, or peace. The human mind wants to see it’s somewhere out there and we have to work hard to attain it. But actually all we need is already provided for by God, and we see it as we awaken spiritually, realize the presence of good/God, and see God expressed inwardly and outwardly.
You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.–Matthew 5:8 The Message
This takes discipline and training of our mind! “Disciple” means student so as we strive to study and understand the kingdom of Love, we will start to see this kingdom expressed around us and experience this heavenly love.
When you look through green glasses, everything around use has a greenish tint. When you look through the lens of Love and Spirit, everything around you appears as lovely, loving, beautiful, compassionate, caring. You see everything and everyone as the offspring of God’s compassionate, all-embracing Love.
What happens when you look through the lens of fear? You see suspicion, distrust, doubt, anxiety, limited resources, etc.
The only thing we need then is to change our lens! A change of perspective. Openness, willingness, and receptivity to what God is seeing and doing.
Jesus showed us the nature of God by healing, restoring, providing, lifting up, and eliminating injustice. He showed us the nature of God. If we need a reality check, we can always look to him to gain the correct model of what is good, true and everlasting. This shows us how to live, love, and grow. It’s a true model for progress!
Jesus wasn’t very concerned with material things since he trusted in God, divine Love, who provided all he needed. He sent his disciples out without a wallet and recognized he didn’t have a material home. God provided for every human needed during his whole ministry.
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.–Matthew 6:31-33 ESV
So his primary focus was the reign of kingdom of God on earth; he stayed focused on his higher mission, and saw the fulfillment of all he had come to show us. What a beautiful example of keeping that higher goal before thought while living in the present moment and ushering in that awareness of the presence of God, divine Love.
We can follow this same model by having the realization of the kingdom be our big picture goal, while living those kingdom ideals moment by moment. By being open and receptive to seeing in news ways, we are bringing Christ into the big picture and into the minutiae of our day.
By purifying human thought, this state of mind permeates with increased harmony all the minutiæ of human affairs. — Mary Baker Eddy
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All creation including the land, animals, and humans exist to show forth God’s awesomeness. Recognizing this enables us to appreciate each other and helps us find ways to live in harmony. How do we live in a way that enables every thing that has breath to praise the Lord? This was one of the questions posed by Dr. Barry Huff in his wonderful talk entitled “The Earth is the Lord’s…” (Ps 24:1): Biblical Inspiration for Sustainability.
Spirituality & Healing 