Luke 14:21 A gift?!

"The householder in anger said to his servant, 

'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, 

and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.'"

Think of someone you dislike--

someone you generally avoid because his/her presence 

generates negative feelings in you.

Now understand that if you invite this person, 

this beggar from the streets and alleys into your home, 

that is, into your presence, he/she will make you a gift that none of 

your charming, pleasant friends can make you, rich as they are.

He or she is going to reveal yourself to you 

and reveal human nature to you.

The revelations that this beggar is going to bring 

will widen your heart till there is room in it for every living creature.

1 Ask,"Am I in charge of this situation or is this situation 

in charge of me?"

2 The way to be in charge of this situation 

is to be in charge of yourself.

3 All you have to do is understand that there are people in the world 

who, if they were in your place, 

would not be negatively affected by this person.

Therefore, your negative feelings are caused, 

not by this person, as you mistakenly think, 

but by your programming.

This behavior,  

this trait in the other person that causes you to react negatively--

do you realize that he or she is not responsible for it?

This poor person here in front of you is crippled, blind, lame, 

not stubborn and malicious as you so foolishly thought.

Now you will realize that this beggar came to your home 

with an alms for you--the widening of your heart 

in compassion and the release of your spirit in freedom. 

Where before you used to be controlled, 

now you have the gift of freedom 

to avoid no one, to go anywhere.

From The Way to Love

So that's what this weekend was--a gift!

A hands-on workshop in remembering that I generate

the feelings and the responses.

The beggar merely shows up with his/her

blind efforts to maintain control,

crippled, misguided attempts at attention and love,

and lame pursuits of temporary happiness.

Hmmmmm...Well, I declare,
seems we're all a bunch of two-year-olds.

'Nuff said!