PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING: A True Story About Loving Without Thinking
PERSPECTIVE IS EVERYTHING
A True Story About Loving Without Thinking
NOTE: TO WATCH THE VIDEO PRESENTATION OF THIS SCRIPT, PLEASE CLICK HERE!
Jesus once said, “For truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard grain, you will say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there,’ and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)
And yet, even though I believe these words to be true, if miracles are so easy with just a wee bit of faith, then why don’t we see mountains jumping around? Or even the simplest things made easier for us here in this world?
What I have discovered is that the problem is not in the strength of our faith, but rather, how we apply it.
So how does one learn how to make such a shift in thinking? How does one remove the barriers to miracles and the knowledge of Love’s Presence in their life?
All it takes is a shift in perspective and everything will fall miraculously into place – I reckon even mountains if need be, although I have yet to meet anyone who has had a legitimate need to move one.
The perspective needed for lifting the barriers we hold in place between us and God’s Love, which is also our Source of power for working miracles, is but this: See no one as a body. See them only as they are in truth: a perfect being created by God as His Love.
This correct perspective brings about corrected perception of your brothers and sisters which aligns your mind with God’s Mind and therefore His Power.
That being said, I myself have found this mindset very difficult to put into practice in the face of actual conflict. I am determined each day to live as though I am Light and Love, but the second I’m faced with conflict, it all goes right out the window and my ego takes over. It is extremely difficult to live this truth, though I can easily accept it in my mind. My heart doesn’t seem to want to budge. In fact, being told I am a being of Light and Love is completely opposite to my experience here as a body. Telling me we are not bodies but really beings of Light and Love, is about as believable as telling me we’re all cats. In fact, it might actually be easier to believe we’re cats; at least a cat still has a body we can relate to.
So how do we shift our perspective in order to shift our perception, which in turn shifts us into the miracle minded thinking of God?
The answer is simple: our mind is in need of healing. “A Course In Miracles” tells us the healer’s prayer is always this:
“Let me know this brother as I know myself.” (T-5.Intro.3:8)
Yet, who are we? To be told we are Love and Light and not the bodies we appear to be, is to be told we are something else entirely. And not only that, but this alternate “identity” is an invisible identity, one that can’t be seen, but only felt within and must be taken completely on faith and belief alone.
To the ears of the ego this sounds altogether preposterous and insane. Again, it sounds so foreign we may as well be told we’re all cats.
We can read and hear the words “we are Love” over and over again, yet no real fundamental change occurs. We agree with these words in our minds, but then still go out into the world and react to one another as bodies.
Yet if one truly believed such words, and lived as though they were true, such a person would treat others as part of themselves – part of the One Love we are being told we are in truth – with utmost sincere loving kindness, patience and care.
Truth is lived in the heart, and not simply just understood in the mind. This is why it is called the living truth. What you believe is demonstrated by how you live. And not a false way of living, where your actions feel forced because they are in direct contradiction to what your mind is thinking. This is not living your truth, but rather, living a lie.
When we find ourselves in such predicaments, it’s time to ask for Help.
A few years ago, I found myself in just such a situation; the outcome was miraculous. Here is the story of what happened:
I was called down to the cash register to counsel a patient at our pharmacy who was receiving a new medication. On my way to her, she received a phone call and proceeded to answer it just as I reached her. I expected her to quickly tell the person on the other end she’d call them right back, just as most people do when this happens.
This woman did not do this. She proceeded to talk to the other person as though I was not there. I also realized it was not an emergency either, but just idle chit chat. I became irritated with this, because I was in the middle of trying to serve her. Rather than asking her to hang up – which my ego felt it shouldn’t have to do – I decided to just move forward with the process, thinking she’d come to her senses and stop talking on her phone. And so, I began to consult her about her medication, but to my intense irritation she simply waved her hand at me to be quiet, because I was interrupting her conversation. This was upsetting and insulting to my ego, since she was the one who walked up to me for pharmacy service!
I could feel my blood start to run hot and my cheeks flushed with outrage over her behavior towards me. It was then that I remembered a quote from “A Course In Miracles” that says:
“Trials are but lessons that you failed to learn presented once again, so where you made a faulty choice before you now can make a better one, and thus escape all pain that what you chose before has brought to you.” (T-31.VIII.3:1)
Here was a lesson being presented to me and I wanted to make another choice! What should I do? Nothing? And let her just walk all over me? Should I point out her seemingly rude behavior? None of these answers felt loving or different from choices I’d made in the past. That was when I decided to ask the Holy Spirit to take over and help me choose differently. My irritation was rising to new levels with every moment that passed, and I didn’t know what I should do or say to this woman.
I was lost in such thoughts as I gathered up the money she was owed back in change, and just as I was about to hand it to her, she concluded her phone conversation with, “Bye honey, I love you!”
It was then the Holy Spirit intervened, side stepping my ego’s thoughts altogether. An automatic response erupted from the part of my mind that still remembered God’s Love. I heard myself unthinkingly say out loud to her, “I love you too!”
We both stood there for a heartbeat, as we realized how comical this was. I had responded to words clearly not intended for me – and it was just too funny. We burst into giggles and laughter as we parted ways without another word between us.
In fact, as I walked away, I realized that the only words we exchanged at all were, “I love you.”
I had gone from seething irritation to complete love and joy in a holy instant – but not until I had asked to see the truth in the other woman. I had asked to know her as I knew myself – I wanted to see only her Love and Light – and that’s exactly what the Holy Spirit craftily showed me. With His Help, I was able to overcome the barriers to Love’s Presence and love her without thinking.
Yet, until an inner shift like this takes permanent residence in our heart, we must continue to practice being what we know in our thoughts is the truth and changing our minds the instant we feel the slightest twinge of discomfort – the clarion sign that we are living as an ego and not as Love. This practice requires an inner vigilance over our thoughts we are not used to; a discipline the world does not teach.
When you are tempted to believe in the falsity your eyes see, remember that you are only here to observe and deliver the message of peace and Love from Him Who sent you. It is not your job to convince anyone of his or her True Identity, but only to give God’s Love as you have been given It.
Love without thinking and you will experience without doing.
NOTE: TO WATCH THE VIDEO PRESENTATION OF THIS SCRIPT, PLEASE CLICK HERE!