Page 1 Page 2
Alan is a Lutheran minister who goes to a meditation class with me in San Francisco. He’s about 60 years old but looks 40, tall and straight with sandy hair and a relaxed way with sweaters. He started meditating four years ago and spends over an hour a day sitting. He has a Blog on Blogger, which is mostly about religious and spiritual questions.
At one class, Alan looked tired. “I haven’t been sleeping well,’ he said when I asked him. “For two nights I’ve had a vivid dream. In the dream, I’ve been called to testify on behalf of the human race before a committee in space. They are like an intergalactic nonprofit that goes around saving planets in trouble. Apparently, there are a lot of needy planets, so you have to show them your people are worthy.”
Page 1 Page 2
Great post, David!
Here’s the response that comes to my mind: I think we will need to save ourselves, and I know that we have what it will take to do that. I’m guardedly optimistic that we will do it.
But there is no need for us to prove anyone that we are worth helping. Imagine three different groups of people in three different locations around the world, and imagine that they were struggling to survive. In my mind, there is no test they would need to pass to be worth helping. All humans are intrinsically worth saving; that comes to us from our Creator.
We might not be able to help all three groups at the same time, but using supposed “worthiness” would not be a valid criterion to use to decide which group to help first.
I hope the space people don’t come back for a while. As things are now, it would be hard to convince them to help us. We have been behaving pretty badly. Our current ‘civilization’ is not very civil. Many people on earth are very selfish and unwilling to share with others or to care for others.
Our world could be a wonderful place and not need the help of the space people if we could learn to love one another. There is plenty for all of the people if people would share. The world is so beautiful but in our greed we are destroying and polluting the land, air and sea. We have to change our society and honor the good kind people and shame the greedy parasites. The bounty of the earth must be shared with all the people. All the people must protect the earth. Making lots of money is not the purpose of life. Our goals must change as we work to be good, kind and generous people.
I think what’s amazing about the human race is its ability to contain and manifest its Creator- that is truly supernatural. A realized purpose fulfilled- a noble purpose that we were created for. How do we realize this? We let go of our self-centeredness and our insecurities and seek to nurture our relationship with our Creator, and say, I’m OK, I’m safe, my Creator loves me and will meet my needs, and now I am free to love others and be a blessing to others as I was created to be. That’s what’s fabulous about the human race!
But notice I don’t focus on the shortcomings of the human race, for that’s not what’s in my control; what IS in my control is my ability to respond to my circumstances around me- I can choose to be a blessing and not a curse. And, you’ve probably noticed by now, it’s contagious!