Fundamental Stuff
By Dalton Roberts
IPS Features

In a little binge of logical thinking in my journal in ‘89, I reasoned like this: if the Creator imbued this world with the energy that maintains and empowers it, the energy we channel into our self-image has a divine source and should not be used for negative purposes. You are literally converting the Creator’s life energy into what you think of yourself.

Does such a concept not endow you with a spiritual dignity even while it induces humility? Maybe life needed someone exactly like you in the place where you presently live and serve. Honor the decision of the Universe to put you here and accept your worthiness.

The same concept applies to all our other channelings of essential life energy. It has been a valuable insight to me for the past eleven years. Just as we hope our children will honor everything we provide them for high purposes, surely we are expected to be good stewards of the fundamental stuff of the Universe.

Real Humility

Once when I was asked to perform a task and then asked what pay I expected I said, "I don’t expect anything." A wiser person asked, "When a farmer sows his seed, does he think such a thing? Does he say he doesn’t care if they sprout? Does he not care whether they provide a return for his labor?"

Is it true humility to not expect to be paid for our good work? Is it good for people to receive service without paying? How do we decide these things?

My mother once said we should tithe our time and our talents. She believed it was more important than tithing money, saying, "God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but he needs you and what you can do."

If we choose to make our time and talents a love offering in the service of any good cause, we should state it. Simply say, "In this case, I have decided to make my labor a love offering in support of your cause." Like most things in life, judgment is called for when we decide the people and projects we choose to gift with our love and labor.

I often say, "When I play music for money, I get money. When I do it for the Lord, I get the Lord." But I fully realize that money is simply another manifestation of the energy called God. We all need it and should expect it under most circumstances.

If you’ve found a perfect formula for making these decisions, please let me know. I am thinking it will always be something to weigh each time it arises.

Soft Sobs from Old Wounds

When my mother was six months pregnant with me, my sister, Norma Jean, died of a strep infection of the bloodstream. Within a few years, penicillin would be discovered and could have cured my sister but at that time, there was nothing any doctor could do to save her.

Each year on the anniversary of her death, at some time in the evening after Dad came home from work, one of them would mention it in subdued words and I would see them embrace and softly sob.

As a small child and even into my early adult years, it baffled me that they remembered this each year and cried. I quietly slipped away into another room feeling intimidated and uncomfortable with a grief that remained real to them for so long.

When we avoid any grief or grieving person, it is because we do not know what to say or do. I didn’t understand such an embedded pain and had no idea of anything I could say or do. But those soft sobs were so powerful they haunted me for days.

As I got older, I was able to let them know I cared, too. I would hug them or say something to broaden the community of suffering over the loss of that precious, beautiful child. I could tell it helped them get through this annual sorrow. Community is always a comfort.

We will be more skillful comforters if we realize once and for all that we don’t have to say anything except "I care" and we don’t have to do anything but be there. If they want a touch or hug, they will let us know. In places of pain, always follow your heart.

Love is so simple. It’s the most powerful healing agent on this planet and we always have a heartful of it. Like a warm balm, it eases ancient sobs. How wonderful that it expands each time we use it.