The world seems to be in pretty lousy shape today. The American economy, though supposedly now recovering, is still in shambles when compared to pre-9/11. Thousands of citizens are still unable to find jobs and more layoffs are announced every day. Each night on the news we hear stories of women and children in peril, people all over the globe succumbing to starvation and disease. We stand now on the brink of a global conflagration that could change the face and soul of the planet and every person on it forever. The Middle East is once again, or still, to be more accurate, embroiled in the territorial, political, and religious conflict that has existed for the past 6,000 years. Petty dictators have risen, taken power and amassed quantities of arms and weapons that could mean the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of people in the cruelest ways. It’s enough to seriously shake the faith of even the staunchest believer and make him or her wonder aloud, ‘What in the world is going on and how can God/Goddess have allowed this all to happen?”
It’s sometimes very difficult to keep firm in your beliefs that all happens for a reason and that everything that happens is part of the divine plan. God gives us all free will and allows us to explore options and experience the consequences of our choices. It is kind of hard at this moment in our planet’s history, when we sit in such a precarious position, to see that things are working out for the best. That’s nothing new, however, for in every pivotal historical situation, that has been the case.
Look at the biblical story of Moses. He led a very large group of men, women, and children from the bondage of Egypt out into the Sinai wilderness with the intent of establishing their home in Canaan, the land promised to them by God. Well, apparently, Moses’ maps were not up to date and the group ended up wandering in the desert for the next forty years. (Can you just hear Moses wife, ”I told you when we passed by that mountain last year that we had been this way before, but would you listen? Oh, no! Could you at least have stopped and ask for directions? ”) The adventure ended happily, though. Eventually, the Hebrews made it to Canaan where they lived and prospered. The Jews of today are the descendants of those followers of Moses. As you know, Moses was the deliverer of the Ten Commandments and, with his brother Aaron, established the Jewish religion.
There was another very spiritual man who loved in that area several hundred years later. He spent his time healing the sick of body and spirit and teaching those who “had eyes to see and ears to hear” that this physical life is but a small part of the true reality of the universe. Because he taught that each person had control of his soul and spiritual destiny, he was seen as a threat by the political and religious leaders of the area, Hebrew and Roman alike. Despite his messages of love and peace, he was publicly executed as a common criminal. His followers finally saw the truth of his vision and spread his teaching throughout the world. They were persecuted for their beliefs and teachings throughout the rest of their lives and most were killed in the end. All was not lost, however, for the words and teachings survived for more than two thousand years and are still valued by millions of people who have read them and live by his principles. The Christian religion has many episodes of cruel persecution, death, and destruction attributed to it, the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades to name two, yet despite the negative aspects, the underlying love and spiritual truths that Jeshua ben Joseph taught to his followers are still available to all who “have eyes to see and ears to hear.” Christianity is the major religion in our country today and is espoused by millions of people worldwide.
A legendary king on a mystical isle gathered around him the brightest and best of the rulers, warriors, and thinkers of his time. He taught them cooperation and chivalry and established the principle in western civilization that “right makes might”, not the other way around. People from all over the known world knew of his name and philosophy and watched with great anticipation to see if the experiment would succeed. King Arthur surrounded himself with those who believed in the possibility of peace and cooperation among men and nations, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table. Unfortunately, there were those who were not ready for the selflessness of Arthur’s noble principles, especially his son, Mordred. He was defeated in battle, the Round Table organization and Camelot destroyed and the experiment of cooperation and peace for all was left in tatters. All the hard work Arthur did in bringing the rulers and leaders of all of England together under one flag and loyalty was for naught. Within a few weeks, battle again ensued between rulers seeking to enlarge their little parts of the world. The vision of a unified land under one king appeared to be lost. Yet, from the ashes and perceived failure of Camelot sprang the Magna Carta, the basis of a fair judicial system with justice for all people, even the lowliest peasant, and the mightiest nation the world had ever seen whose motto stated that the sun never set on their Empire.
Fast forward to the eighteenth century. People who comprised the entire length of the economic and social spectrum settled the new country of America. There were titled and landed gentry from England, France, and Spain (depending on the location). There were also indentured servants, trade people, craftsmen, farmers, and those on the run from the law. When a small group of men with high ideals, spiritual principles, and an unflagging thirst for the freedom to chart their own lives met together in Philadelphia, the fuse was lit for the biggest explosion of all. This little band of men with their rag-tag army, their home sewn flag, and unending quest for independence had the audacity to stand up to the mightiest nation on earth, at the time, and spit in its eye. They were not content to live in the shadow of a government that had no concern for the unique struggles and circumstances of building a new world. They had no desire to work and slave in order to amass riches to send back to England or anywhere else. They demanded the right to stand on their own and forge their own destinies. The American Revolution was born. No one could have seen the results of those few stubborn men who refused to bow to the demands of an absentee ruler. They were men who demanded the right to choose their own paths.
America has had its share of challenges in the years since Ben Franklin, Tom Payne, and Thomas Jefferson were among the movers and shakers of history. Some of the struggles our country has endured have come very close to destroying the fabric of the nation, the Civil War and the civil rights struggle among them. Yet we made it through those and the wars that later occurred by holding fast to the belief that “all men are created equal and have certain inalienable rights, like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” We hold those truths to be self evident, not only for ourselves, but also for all other inhabitants of the planet. America, having been the underdog, has the distinction of standing up for those who are weak and down trodden and to be there for those who need a hand up.
In 1990, America faced the another threat of war. When Kuwait was invaded and needed a helping hand, we were there. We defeated the Iraqi army and returned Kuwait to its people in a matter of days. Due to political decisions by those in power, the instigator of the Gulf War was not held accountable or removed from power. Now, twelve years later, we face the same threats from the same man.
This really is not a political talk and I don’t want to get you all thinking only about the challenges and struggles ahead that we may be facing. Instead, I want you to realize that whatever decisions are made in the days and weeks ahead, there are no wrong decisions to be made, either by our government representatives, or personally in our everyday lives. No matter where your decisions lead you and what experiences result from those decisions, the bottom line must always be, “what have I learned from this?” Granted, that is one of the most difficult things to do, especially when the circumstances are painful and the cost is high.
As spiritual beings having a human experience, we must remind ourselves that our purpose on the planet is just that, to have a human experience. And no experience is wasted. Every situation, every circumstance is meaningful in some way and helps us on our path to spiritual growth and ultimate reunion with the Creator. No matter how devastating circumstances may be and how hopeless we feel life has become, all is not lost, for we cannot clearly see into the future to discover the final outcome.
The Challenger disaster 17 years ago was devastating to family and friends of the victims and to the space program. The lessons learned from that tragedy permitted more recent shuttle missions to be flown more safely. People learned from the mistakes made in that situation and are less likely to be pressured into chancing lives on the desire for timely performance. Yesterday, disaster struck again when the space shuttle Columbia was lost during reentry. We may never know the precise reason the explosion took place, but I would venture to say that “O” rings had absolutely nothing to do with it. I assume, at least, that lesson has been well learned.
Sometimes seeing decisions through to their natural consequences is difficult to do especially when it comes to our children. Parents have a tendency to want to see their children learn lessons as painlessly as possible, but that is not always the way to lasting learning. If a Mom writes an excuse to the teacher for incomplete homework, how will Janie learn to follow through on an assignment? If Roger takes a car for a joyride and is kept from jail by a well-meaning but over anxious parent and a zealous lawyer, how will he learn to refrain from “borrowing” another car without permission?
It is natural to want to protect children from harm, and of course we save them from serious bodily harm when we can by preventing them from playing in the street or touching hot irons and pans. They must be allowed to learn from the natural consequences of their decisions and actions if they are to develop into adults capable of making logical and knowledgeable decisions. Most of us, for example, know to get enough sleep each night because we have experienced the difficulty of trying to function after sleeping only two or three hours the night before. Most of us learn to govern the amount of alcohol we consume by suffering through the painful hangover that results from too much indulgence. How can young people learn to budget money and manage their finances responsibly if Mom and Dad keep sending money every time they over spend at Circuit City leaving no money for the grocery store, college tuition, or their car insurance?
I am by no means advocating abandoning children, teens, or even grown children to the world. Absolutely not. But one of a parent’s ultimate responsibilities is in teaching a child to be self sufficient and independent, capable of living on his or her own, holding a job, paying bills and becoming a productive and responsible world citizen. It all starts with learning the natural consequences of decisions. That, too, is part of what it means to have a human experience.
Being a human is filled with all kinds of experiences and emotions. Some are wonderfully pleasant, like falling in love, getting hired for that first job, or having a baby. Some things are not so pleasant, like getting fired from a job, breaking up with a significant other, or losing some one you love to disease and death. Every human being goes through these things at one time or another. Every one of us makes the best decisions we can at the time and then learn from the results. We can have good results and not-so-good results. That’s the way things are in this plane of existence. There is no guarantee in life, no matter how badly we would like there to be. And we cannot see in advance what the consequences of today’s decision will be.
Will a marriage work out with Tom, or would Greg be a better choice? Should I be a doctor or a rock star? Should I go to college or be a homemaker? Study electronics or nutrition? Have biological children or adopt? Live in the country or the city? As you can see, there are as many decisions to be made in life as there are minutes in the day. Don’t let yourself be paralyzed with fear of the outcome. Jump in with both feet. The only bad decision you can make is not making a decision at all. Even the decisions and choices that look the bleakest can turn out for the best.
Look at Moses. Don’t you know his wife never let him forget that they could have arrived in Canaan ten years sooner if only he had listened to her and asked for directions. The Jewish people found their homeland in spite of it all and became the basis for three of the major religions of the world, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Not bad for a henpecked Hebrew who couldn’t find his way in the desert, right?
Above all, don’t look back and second guess your past decisions. We all do the best we can at the time with the information that is available to us. All we can do is trust that God and the angels are with us to guide and direct us and help us through the rough times. Looking back at the complex tapestry of our lives, we can all see that even though some decisions and choices may have led to challenging and even painful times, each experience we have as we go through life, leads us to be the people we are today. All the challenges and joys, the sorrows and problems I experience have helped me grow and develop mentally and spiritually into the woman that I am right now. And, though it might be nice to have had more money, looking back on my life, I wouldn’t change a thing!
So don’t be afraid to make decisions and to exercise your free will. Especially, don’t be overly concerned with the status of the world, politics, religion, education, economics or even the geophysical threats of earthquakes and volcanoes. It’s all part of the experience of being human that we all volunteered for before our births. So go out there and make a decision. Start with an easy one…What’s for lunch?
