we are the ones

spiritual resource to share: your "deep gladness"



I saw this quote on the banner of Spirit on the Job's website recently: "The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." (F. Buechner)

God is calling us all to act. In fact, I believe that we are each born with a mission, we are each born with a role to play in loving God (magnifying good, beauty, and intelligence) and loving one another.

But how do we approach our life's mission? How do we even get the courage and confidence to deal with our own dilemmas, let alone global issues? You may think you have nothing to give. Mary Baker Eddy answers this very question in her book Pulpit and Press (p.4).

Perchance some one of you may say, "The evidence of spiritual verity in me is so small that I am afraid....Because of my own unfitness for such a spiritual animus my strength is naught and my faith fails." O thou "weak and infirm of purpose." Jesus said, "Be not afraid"!

"What if the little rain should say, 'So small a drop as I can ne'er refresh a drooping earth, I'll tarry in the sky.'"

Is not a man metaphysically and mathematically number one, a unit, and therefore a whole number, governed and protected by his divine Principle, God? You have simply to preserve a scientific, positive sense of unity with your divine source, and daily demonstrate this. Then you will find that one is as important a factor as duodecillions in being and doing right, and thus demonstrating deific Principle.

Last year we saw almost unprecedented giving by the world's wealthiest and famous towards the elimation of national and global concerns. This is giving big time - making a huge impact - the "duodecillions."

But what do we do -- those of us with far less material wealth?

"Ye are the light of the world." Christ Jesus assures us.

Remember the story in 2004 about the school girl in Indonesia during the tsunami? She saw the water recede very quickly from the beach resort in Indonesia where her family was vacationing. She remembered from her schooling that these were the signs of an impending tsunami. She quickly told her parents, who warned the authorities and they cleared the beach in time to save hundreds of people.

The backstory is that she was taught by teachers. Her community felt it was important that girls have access to schools. Something in her upbringing gave her the confidence to share this news. Her parents knew that something could be done. There were authorities who trusted their citizens and would listen to them and then, they took action and evacuated the area.

So -- it was the enlightened community that produced schools, the dedicated teachers who taught, the authorities who listened, the parents who raised a confident child, and the little girl who had the courage to speak up - each one had a role in doing something that was life-saving.

Noble efforts have humble beginnings.

What can one person do? Apply what you know. Love others.


The brother of a very dear friend of mine did just this. Rippan Kapur started an organization to help underprivileged children in India with 50 rupees, and 5 other friends sitting around his mother's kitchen table. Soon, Child Rights and You (CRY) was born. And it grew. And not surprising. Godlike qualities of unselfishness, compassion and intelligent care have the natural capacity to multiply.

His example, and thousands others like it humbly get us to ask ourselves if there is more we can do. Sometimes this comes as gentle nudging. Other times it comes to us like a preacher on fire.

A couple of years ago Jim Wallis gave a talk on "Building Global Justice: We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For" at Stanford. Here is an excerpt:

Now at the beginning of a new century and millennium, I see a new generation of young activists coming of age and committing themselves to build global justice. A rock star, a Chancellor, and young people across the world are all talking about globalization, HIV/AIDS, and reducing global poverty - and all in the prophetic voice of Micah.

I am convinced that global poverty reduction will not be accomplished without a spiritual engine, and that history is changed by social movements with a spiritual foundation. That's what's always made the difference - abolition of slavery, women's suffrage, civil rights - they were social movements, but they had a spiritual foundation.

This will be no different.

We are spiritual. The work that we do comes from the spiritual qualities we express. Out of this spiritual mix of compassion, genius, love, and responsibility, we get innovative groups from the likes of KIVA - a microfinancing internet opportunity which allows people to get involved in supporting small businesses in developing countries for as little as $25 to the mega-group like Clinton Global Initiative dealing with many global concerns to which millions of dollars have been donated.

Each unselfish act - as gentle as the encouragement given to a friend - moves us all forward. It builds a spiritual foundation where more and more good works thrive. We are the ones who can share our deep gladness with others -- and everyone is blessed!

Photos by cry.org; Child's art by Radhika Mehra-11yrs

To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right