As I have gone along through the years trying to inform my conscience I have found my truth in all sorts of places; science, movies and books of fiction and non-fiction such as history, a friend (or enemy) sharing some insight, the news and often reading the mystics – mostly Christian mystics. I recently read a review and subsequently bought a copy of Judaism Is About Love by Shai Held. Held is a mystic of the (obviously) Jewish tradition. And the Jewish tradition is the foundation of the Christian tradition.
Chapter one is about how we are loved – by God – and the implications of that. Near the end of the chapter, Held talks about humility. How humility requires that we know our own self worth. That means, of course, that we know that we are not the center of the universe but also and equally important, that we know we have particular gifts to help us become the people God put us on earth to be and to share those gifts around. Were called to this particular time and place for that purpose. We are whole human beings with strengths and weaknesses and we are loved as we are and are called to love others as they are; to share the gifts that we have been given.
Held says that to believe that we are not worthy is to give ourselves permission to behave in unworthy ways. I never thought of that. It raises a big issue with me, though. Because Patty is often telling me how good I am at this or that. My response is generally that she is wrong. But that confidence that Patty has placed in my worthiness has forced me to finally ask of myself what I am good at. I seriously, and sadly, can’t figure it out. I have lived my life and know pretty well that I have accomplished nothing except to get old. And yet I am assured by rabbi Held and my wife (and my belief system) that I must be (worthy) good at something. Part of the reason that I am writing this blog is to help me to figure out what I am good at and how I live up to my God given worthiness.
When we are created in a particular time and place it’s because God needs us in that particular time and place to assist in God’s on-going Creation. Shai Held made me think about my life in a different way. It is important that I am here, now, making a conscious effort bring creation along. Sharing the gifts I have been given is how that is done and one thing I am good at is knowing that love is the basic gift to us all and making the effort to grow in and share with everyone the love that I have been given.
PEACE and LOVEYA, Ron
Camel Through the Eye 