gratitude + humility = protection

Spiritual resource to share: protection

• Humility is the stepping-stone to a higher recognition of Diety.
• Great charity and humility is necessary in this work of healing.
  - from Mary Baker Eddy's Miscellaneous Writings
  

I was an administrator of a nursing care facility in the late 80's and was attending a workshop hosted by our headquarters. A representative of the Board of Directors shared greetings from the Board and expressed gratitude for what we were doing. Well, I certainly felt justified in this gratitude - because after all, I was working nine hours a day and had to take occasional calls on weekends!

Then we were thanked again and this representative went into greater detail about just how grateful the Board was to have us there, how grrateful they were for the support of our families, etc. I remember thinking that that was nice.

Then, we were thanked again. I started feeling a little uncomfortable. But when we were thanked again for the fourth time, I started feeling that I needed to do much more if I was to be worthy of all this gratitude just pouring out from the Board!!

I also knew that this Board was under significant criticism for taking some new and innnovative steps. This only made their statement of gratitude even more poignant.

I could see how their sincere gratitude also provided a protection to the individuals on the Board. Nothing can really touch a heart deep in humility and gratitude. And not only did this provide a safe haven for those really out there making a difference, but it helped bring progressive ideas to the institution that are still in place today. So it provided protection to the individuals involved, to the institution as a whole and to the new and progressive ideas that helped many more outside of the institution's walls.

That experience gave me such a tangible sense of the power and protection of love, humility and gratitude, I will never forget it. It has and continues to embolden me to do those things I feel bring the most love and healing to others, and to do so with humility and grace.

Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science and Health "Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you. The cement of a higher humanity will unite all interests in the one divinity." We are safe when we love and when we heal.




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