Who is your enemy?

I’ve been reading a great article that I find so apropos to the things going on in the world today. It’s entitled “Truth Handles Crime“.

I have learned from this article is that no person, neighbor or nation is our enemy. Mankind, as the spiritual image and likeness of God, is wholly spiritual, good, trustworthy, and honest. The only enemy we have is what the King James Version of the Bible terms the “carnal mind” (Romans 8:7).

The carnal mind tells us lies about ourself and our neighbor.  It tells you that you are jealous, evil, stupid, worthless, incapable, etc. It often comes in the pronouns “I am” (sick, fearful, tired, sensual, angry, unsatisfied) or “they are”(mean, spiteful, trying to take away what is mine/out to get me).

These lies are the enemy. They are trying to defile the Christlike image of God. And these lies have no power because they are not true. When one of these evil “suggestions” comes to our consciousness, we need to recognize what it is, where it is coming from, see that it is a lie and has no power (and not let it in to our thought).

The Bible tells us that “I am” is the name of God. This means “I am” can only be associated with God and His likeness – that which is  good, loving, kind, compassionate, strong, trustworthy, eternal, honest, productive, and healthy. This is true of each of us; we naturally express and embody these qualities and inherently want to know/do good.

The article states:

“As we understand these things clearly, we cease to regard each other as enemies. We no longer think that we must get rid of individuals or groups who seem to menace harmony. We refrain from fearing our neighbors and do not appear dangerous to them. It will become increasingly plain to all men that the only agressor there is, is mortal mind, and that it is an illusion. Then its suppositional acts of trespass, invasion, deceit, and destruction will no more have power to harm us, and will cease to seem to occur.”

I believe that holding to the true image of men and women in God’s image and likeness, detecting and uncovering mortal mind/the carnal mind, is what will aid us in overcoming political unrest, a desire to terrorize, feeling impoverished and anything else that would suggest the hate, division and unworthiness of groups or individuals.

Not guilty!


Have you ever considered your innocence? The wonderful fact that you are not guilty?

The world is always trying to tell us we are guilty of something: not being good enough, past regrets or even simply because of this mortal existence.

Spirit is the creator; and Spirit creates everything in Her own image and likeness. Since Spirit has never fallen from Her perfect state that means we haven’t either. Goodness, innocence, purity, joy, childlikeness are all inherent in us. 

Sure, we’ve all made mistakes, fallen short of our own or other’s expectations; perhaps in the moment of that mistake we were governed by fear – fear of what would happen or what wouldn’t happen based on what we would we should do; in a sense we forgot, in that moment, who we were as the perfect, image & likeness of Spirit/Love/Truth with a rich, divine inheritance. 

These instances of mistakes can never change who we really are.

“If you believe in and practise wrong knowingly, you can at once change your course and do right.”¹

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”²

So we don’t need to be plagued by guilt today. We can drop whatever it is, perhaps even taking some footsteps to right a past wrong. 

I experienced this first hand yesterday. I suddenly found myself feeling quite unwell physically. I started to pray about this with the books and study resources I have for prayer/meditation. I called a Christian Science practitioner for metaphysical treatment (this is someone who prays to know the supremacy of divine Mind in your experience and that no other thought that is negative or sickly can reside in your consciousness. It is wonderfully effective and demonstrates the connection between mind, body and spirit).

Just before bed it occurred to me that I was feeling guilty about a mistake with a friend. Even though the situation wasn’t a big one there was still lingering guilt and fear about it. I decided the best thing to do was to email the friend and apologize. I wanted this person to know my intentions and that I didn’t want things to be awkward. 

After sending the email, I felt a lot better. I also watched an online lecture called “You’re not guilty” which shared a lot of great points:
1. You are not guilty of disappointing God
2. You are not guilty of creating your problems
3. You are not guilty of spiritual ignorance.

I went to sleep feeling peaceful. When I woke up I was hungry, feeling a lot better, and I received an email from my friend who said no worries and that all is well.

Recognizing our spiritual status as not guilty enables us to act that way, to love who we really are, and to love our neighbor better by recognizing their status as spiritual and not guilty! 

Have a blessed day! 🙂

¹Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
² King James Version, The Bible, Psalms 37:23, 24
 

Practical Spirituality Heals

 

Want to learn more about how spirituality is practical in seeing and understanding the reality of things – the reality that includes health, goodness, and abundance for all?

 

Check out this video lecture given in February in the Chicago-area at the Evanston Public Library.  The lecturer is Christian Science practitioner and teacher Ginny Luedeman, CSB from Salem, Oregon .

 

This lecture will be available at the link below through June 24th, 2011.  Enjoy learning about spirituality that heals.

 

http://www.secondchurchevanston.com/lectures.html