What a ONEderful World

I see ONE WORLD.

A world in crisis...a world in pain.

A world in flux...focused on gain.
 

I see ONE RACE. The HUMAN RACE.

Lost in greed...drowning in sorrow.

Jaded...no thought for tomorrow.

But then I think to myself...

I see ONE WORLD.
A world of love...a world of hope.
A world determined...a world of growth.

I see ONE RACE. The HUMAN RACE.
Reaching out...striving to see.
Searching for peace...and finding unity.

And I think to myself, what a ONEderful world.

 

~ Justin Johnson

 

So as we end one year and take a look back and begin a new year and take a look forward, what do YOU see?

Honestly, I almost made this post extremely syrupy and sappy and I even found a video of children singing the original "What A Wonderful World" which was beautiful and touching, but then I thought it just felt like more of the same. As does this past year. More of the same. What are we going to do NEW this year that will really make a difference? What are we going to CHANGE about the way we approach our lives and each other?

Every time there have been HUGE changes in the world in the past it has been due to religion. Sometimes bad changes, but more often very positive ones that changed society for the better. Fr. Albert Luna makes some recommendations in the following video which I completely endorse and agree with wholeheartedly.



To me, we are at a crossroads and have been for some time. This world is ONE world. All the people in it are ONE people. And they all worship ONE God in different ways. Why does that have to be so offensive? We are ONE and we are all created by the same God. We have got to start recognizing that, digesting it and reevaluating how we approach life on this planet and our relationships with each other. We are all one. We KNOW this...it's been said for decades, if not centuries. But it has become more clear now than ever before. We have GOT to stop giving lip service to the concept and start ACTING on it.

As a race of people, we have got to start ADJUSTING to this new world we have found ourselves in. The time is gone where we can turn a blind eye to the misfortunes of others and say "Oh well, that's not my problem". That obviously does not fly in this new global economy and it never will.

Every person we come across has the DIVINE within them. And that is where I am going to start. My New Years Resolution is to really SEE THAT in every single person I can come across and then treat them accordingly.

So who's with me? What's YOUR New Years Resolution that will help change the world?

 

 

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"You must manifest complete love and affection toward all mankind. Do not exalt yourselves above others, but consider all as your equals, recognizing them as the servants of one God. Know that God is compassionate toward all; therefore, love all from the depths of your hearts, prefer all religionists before yourselves, be filled with love for every race, and be kind toward the people of all nationalities. Never speak disparagingly of others, but praise without distinction. Pollute not your tongues by speaking evil of another. Recognize your enemies as friends, and consider those who wish you evil as the wishers of good. You must not see evil as evil and then compromise with your opinion, for to treat in a smooth, kindly way one whom you consider evil or an enemy is hypocrisy, and this is not worthy or allowable. You must consider your enemies as your friends, look upon your evil-wishers as your well-wishers and treat them accordingly. Act in such a way that your heart may be free from hatred. Let not your heart be offended with anyone. If some one commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him. Do not complain of others. Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer. Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts. Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart. Assist the world of humanity as much as possible. Be the source of consolation to every sad one, assist every weak one, be helpful to every indigent one, care for every sick one, be the cause of glorification to every lowly one, and shelter those who are overshadowed by fear." ~ Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 452
 

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"There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." ~ King James Bible, Ephesians 4:4-6

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"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour." ~ King James Bible, Ephesians 4:31 - 5:2
 

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"Unity of heart, and unity of mind, freedom from hatred, do I procure for you. Do ye take delight in one another, as a cow in her (new-) born calf!
The son shall be devoted to his father, be of the same mind with his mother; the wife shall speak honied, sweet, words to her husband!
The brother shall not hate the brother, and the sister not the sister! Harmonious, devoted to the same purpose, speak ye words in kindly spirit!" ~ Vedas, Atharva Veda
 

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"Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him: and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbors who are near, neighbors who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: for Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious" The Qur'an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 4
 

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"The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and fellowship. He Who is the Daystar of Truth beareth Me witness! So powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth. The One true God, He Who knoweth all things, Himself testifieth to the truth of these words." ~ Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 14

Your plan VS. His Plan

“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” ~ Dalai Lama

Many times in life I find that I am not necessarily happy with the way things are going or have gone. I have regrets, misgivings, fears for the future, anger, resentment and doubt. Why didn't things go as I had hoped? Why didn't I get the exciting new job in New Zealand or the project assignment I wanted at work? What's wrong with me? Am I not good enough, smart enough? Worthy enough?

Woe is me, right? Right.....

No, not right. Not right at all. I believe in making plans. I believe in striving for success. I believe in making efforts. I believe in putting myself out there and following my bliss. But I do not believe that my trifling little plans are necessarily what is best for me. In the heat of the moment I may be disappointed or get caught up in the "woulda, coulda, shoulda"s, but do I really know what is best? Just because I want my life to head in a certain direction does not mean that is the way my life is going to go, or that it should go.

I believe there is a Higher Power with infinitely greater wisdom than I who truly wants what is best for me. The challenge is recognizing that, believing in it and maintaining my faith in His Will rather than my own. As I mentioned earlier, I do not believe that means sitting around waiting for something divine to happen. It means striving towards goals, while remaining detached from the results and recognizing the futility in hoping and wishing things were different than what they are.

Don't get me wrong - I believe in free will - that is where our actions and focus come in - what are we striving for? We have the free will to strive for whatever we want. The challenge comes when we strive and we strive and we feel as if we are never reaping the fruits of our labor, right? What gets in our way? Could be God. Could be our own warped perceptions. Honestly, it may be irrelevant.

In my opinion, it is a matter of focus. If I completely and unreservedly let the Divine (as always, whatever that means to you) in my life as a part of my striving, then I am connecting myself with my Source. To me that means seeing the Divine in others (Namaste) and being of service to humanity - that is how I show Him love. And if I can maintain that, I will be the better for it. A quote from the Bahá'í Faith states "Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee." I absolutely love that saying, it's so incredibly deep and important - pause and ponder it for a bit.

I wrote a three part blog post along this same vein a couple of years ago that I'm really proud of, Water Park Wisdom. (You can read them here: Water Park Wisdom #1 Water Park Wisdom #2 Water Park Wisdom #3) Those posts really describe in detail the feelings I have about this subject and the intricacies involved. When do we let go and let God? Why do we flail about so much trying and trying to accomplish that which may not even need our focus or attention? And why in the world would we question Him or rush the process he has put in place for our life?

As always, here are some quotes from various religious traditions on this subject:

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 "O SON OF BEING! Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant." ~ Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words

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"Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed." ~ King James Bible, 1 Chronicles 22:12-13

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"The retina of outer vision, though sensitive and delicate, may, nevertheless, be a hindrance to the inner eye which alone can perceive. The bestowals of God which are manifest in all phenomenal life are sometimes hidden by intervening veils of mental and mortal vision which render man spiritually blind and incapable, but when those scales are removed and the veils rent asunder, then the great signs of God will become visible, and he will witness the eternal light filling the world. The bestowals of God are all and always manifest. The promises of heaven are ever present." ~ Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 90

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"All undertakings (in) this (world) depend both on the ordering of fate and on human exertion; but among these two (the ways of) fate are unfathomable; in the case of man's work action is possible." ~ Hindu, Laws of Manu

 

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"Trust in God, as opposed to human exertions.
The beasts said, "O enlightened sage,
Lay aside caution; it cannot help thee against destiny;
To worry with precaution is toil and moil;
Go, trust in Providence, trust is the better part.
War not with the divine decree, O hot-headed one,
Lest that decree enter into conflict with thee.
Man should be as dead before the commands of God
Lest a blow befall him from the Lord of all creatures."
He said, "True; but though trust be our mainstay,
Yet the Prophet teaches us to have regard to means.
The Prophet cried with a loud voice,
'Trust in God, yet tie the camel's leg.'
Hear the adage, 'The worker is the friend of God;'
Through trust in Providence neglect not to use means.
Go, O Quietists, practice trust with self-exertion,
Exert yourself to attain your objects, bit by bit.
In order to succeed, strive and exert yourselves;
If ye strive not for your objects, ye are fools."
They said, "What is gained from the poor by exertions
Is a fraudulent morsel that will bring ill luck.
Again, know that self-exertion springs from weakness;
Relying on other means is a blot upon perfect trust.
Self-exertion is not more noble than trust in God.
What is more lovely than committing oneself to God?
Many there are who flee from one danger to a worse;
Many flee from a snake and meet a dragon.
Man plans a stratagem, and thereby snares himself;
What he takes for life turns out, to be destruction.
He shuts the door after his foe is in the house."
 ~ Mathnavi of Rumi (E.H. Whinfield tr), The Masnavi Vol 1

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"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." ~ King James Bible, Jeremiah 29:11-13

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"Know thou, O fruit of My Tree, that the decrees of the Sovereign Ordainer, as related to fate and predestination, are of two kinds. Both are to be obeyed and accepted. The one is irrevocable, the other is, as termed by men, impending. To the former all must unreservedly submit, inasmuch as it is fixed and settled. God, however, is able to alter or repeal it. As the harm that must result from such a change will be greater than if the decree had remained unaltered, all, therefore, should willingly acquiesce in what God hath willed and confidently abide by the same.
 

The decree that is impending, however, is such that prayer and entreaty can succeed in averting it." ~ Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 132

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