Setting the bar
In the world, we find lots of rules and regulations. Just as we find much of the Old Testament focused on rules (Ten Commandments, purity laws of the Hebrews). Yet Unity views the Bible as a story of our evolution in consciousness. In the New Testament, Jesus condenses the commandments down to love: Love God, Love others, Love yourself. Jesus' teachings are focused on personal responsibility; being accountable to your own integrity for your own choices. Our evolution is from being told what to do and what is right to discerning what feels in alignment with our spiritual guidance and acting on that guidance. This gives us the freedom and the responsibility to question what we are told and seek a deeper truth that resonates with us.
I feel this is an evolution we are being called to more and more in our outer world. The bar goes up and down in regulating how we treat employees, how we treat our environment, and what government dollars support. Perhaps we have two very different paths related to setting the bar. One path says we vote to elect a candidate in alignment with our guidance. We participate in our governance. The second path does not depend on elections or rules. We set our own bar.
We set the bar for how we treat employees and one another. Minimum wage is a minimum. How do we share the wealth in arenas within our control? We set the bar for how we treat the environment. We are one with all that is and we are woven into the outer expression we call earth. And we control what companies we economically support based on their environmental standards. It is a little more work to find the information but some companies go beyond the regulations. If governance is withdrawing economic support for important programs, we affirm the infinite abundance of the Universe and look for ways to provide funds for the programs to continue. We open to the creative ideas of Spirit for something even better to arise.
I am not trying to "politicize" our spiritual community. I am looking at the ways we fail to walk the talk, to live our beliefs, when it is convenient to separate ourselves from the outer world. We are called to ask ourselves, "Where do I try to do the minimum required? Where, in my life, could I set the bar higher and live more fully into my potential?" "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile." Matthew 5:41 The second mile is within your control and draws forth more of who you came here to be.
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