Keeping Our Center ~ Day 90

The Gnostic Gospel of Thomas says, “if you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.” 

I don’t think this was meant to be cryptically difficult. I believe it is as straightforward as saying each of us has unique gifts and skills to bring to the world, not the least of which is our ability to love. If we live true to ourselves, we will live wholeheartedly and know a depth of living that many people never reach. If we deny, waste, ignore, or bury our spiritual gifts such as compassion and love, and if refuse to cultivate and use our skills for bringing joy and bettering the world, we will never quite know that fulfillment.

And, yes, we all have skills to share. I know a few people who believe they don’t, but even pulling weeds, making a great pot of soup, knitting a scarf, having a meaningful, caring conversation, or playing with a child is a skill to share. Don’t look with critical eyes at yourself, but with the compassionate eyes of God who invites you to use what you have in love.

In Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic, she talks about a young, shy college student who shared a story with her one day about a professor named Jack Gilbert (no relation to Elizabeth). One afternoon after Jack’s poetry class, he took this young woman aside, complimented her on her work and asked her what she wanted to do with her life. Hesitantly, she admitted that perhaps she wanted to be a writer.

Jack smiled at her with infinite compassion and asked, “Do you have the courage? Do you have the courage to bring forth this work? The treasures that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say yes.”

This becomes the question for each of us. Do we have the courage to be who God created us to be? To bring out the best within us? To risk loving? To risk being vulnerable in our sharing of ourselves? I’ve been told that at the end of life the things we will regret most are the things we didn’t do.

Love & Light!

Kaye