" True Love "
 

"Can Cushites change their skin
    or leopards their spots?
Then also you can do good,
    who are accustomed to do evil."

(Jeremiah 13:23 NRSV)

What is the meaning we should glean from a statement like Jeremiah gives us? Can Cushites change their skin? Can leopards change their spots? It seems the answer to both of these questions is, no.

How do these statements about features that cannot be changed relate to something like: “Then also you can do good, who are accustomed to do evil?” If our sense of self continues to vibrate at the level of sense consciousness then we are not able to change. Separate self isn't capable of changing from what it is accustomed to.

But human beings are truly spiritual beings. We may be accustomed to acting in a way that is contrary to our True Nature, but that is not who we really are. Our error thinking patterns are not coming from our True Self.

When we are born we all shine with the light of glory - Splendor! We are pure and true. Then life begins to happen. We observe how others act and react around us. We learn how to smile pretty to get attention. We learn to cry when we are wet, hungry, or messy. We are no longer that pure radiation of the Christ Light. And we grow accustomed to our situation. We grow more and more separate.

The Christ Light in all its purity is there. But the globe of our lantern has become a little crusty. The gunk on the globe distorts that pure Light. And we are accustomed to it.

Could Jeremiah have been talking about that crust? We have to remember what "evil" is. Forget the moral judgements that are part of the gunk. In the Revealing Word Charles Fillmore tells us evil is that which is not of God. It is unreality. It is error thought. Hmmm...

And what is the Good News Jesus instructed his students to share with the world? By being transformed by the renewal of our consciousness we can discover the presence of God here inside ourselves and all around us.

If it pleases you,
take a deep breath and affirm:

Cleaning the gunk
from my lantern glass,
I allow the Christ Light
to shine through me.
I am the Light
shining from the hilltop.
Pure in heart,
I see the Christ in you.