Continuing with ideas from this week's Bible Lesson on Unreality, section three throws more light on the things that would suggest there is a darkness happening in our lives or around us. The light of Truth, when shined on these suggestions, shows them for what they are, just lies hoping to be believed. When we refuse to believe them, they are powerless to cause any further disruption or anxiety.
Truth is shining upon you. All the time. In all circumstances. God is the source of that light. Even if we say 'I am in a dark place' that light is still present and operating on our behalf. It is our job to look for it. Psalm 84 assures us that 'no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly'. What do others see when they look at you? Are you upright, standing tall and straight with confidence? We should always walk that way for there is nothing that can bow us down. We bow only to God. When we stand up to error it flees before Truth and Love.
Right now there is a cougar alert here at the Principia College campus. Occasionally cougars are spotted on our 2600 acres of beautifully wooded land. Campus security people tell us that if we spot a cougar just stand up straight, look it in the eye, wave your arms and shout. It will flee as it wants nothing to do with humans. Do not cringe or cower or act like prey. Good advice. We saw that in Moses' demonstration over the rod that appeared to become a snake.
Today I am focusing on section three that has the parable Jesus told about the tares and the wheat. He always used every day common things to make a spiritual point that the listeners could identify with and remember. He speaks of a man sowing good seed in his field. But while he was sleeping an enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat. Tares are an invasive weed that is very hard to eliminate. They look almost like sprouted wheat but wheat produces a good kernel and the tares are only good for burning. His workers are concerned when these weeds show up and wonder where they came from. Isn't that typical, to try to figure out where some bad thing came from instead of seeing that it does not have it source in God, who did the original sowing. The man is wise. He says don't try to pull them out now, don't be concerned about them. At the time of harvest the good will be very obvious from the bad and then they can be separatd without harm to the wheat. The wheat will be gathered and the tares will be burned so they do not sow more bad seeds.
Now that is shedding light on an important concept. We all have 'tares' show up now and then. We usually have that first reaction, where is this coming from? But Jesus was telling them not to be overly concerned with that which cannot harm you. Our job is to separate, not unite, these types of thoughts. That becomes easy as we take time to study and pray each day. This dedication leads to spirtual progess and with spiritual progress it gets easier and easier to spot error for what it is - nothing claiming to be something - and take away any effect it claims to have.
I love the sentences from page 300 in Science and Health that contain the phrase 'never touch' several times. The unreal never touches us. The changeable and imperfect never touch us. The inharmonious things never touch us. If they never touch us they cannot have an effect or leave a mark or a scar.
Today I will keep this phrase printed out and with me all day. "Spirit imparts the understanding which uplifts consciousness and leads to all truth". (S&H 505) This is how I will be able to separate those tares that appear today and it will open my eyes to the good 'wheat' all around me. Try it and I'm sure it will work for you as well.
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