Friday, October 5, 2012

Changing Minds With Knowledge

(Gospel quote from 04Oct2012)

Jay gets excited when he reads his IBD.  What exactly is that? Investor's Business Daily.  My eyes glaze over just thinking about it. Numbers are not my thing.  My daughter Whitney teases me about the time she was in 6th grade and I had helped her with her math homework. Her teacher told her she should get some help from her parents as she got them all wrong. She looked at the teacher and said, "my mom helped me." The teacher quickly suggested a tutor! Anyway, Jay is trying to get me interested. Showed me a funny political cartoon. Ok, funny, now back to writing.  Then he peaked my interest.  He asked if I knew a company called "Francesca's." Well of course I do . . . I have three daughters.  We have clothes shopped there over the years.  It was one of the top 50 recommended stocks.  Then he asked if I knew of a store called "Ulta."  What girl doesn't? It's so easy to reject what is difficult to understand. But if you are open to accepting the truth, as complex as it may be, all of the sudden it becomes quite simple with a patient, loving teacher.

In today's Gospel (Luke 10:1-12), Jesus instructs His disciples to spread the Good News, but move on when hearts are not open to the Truth:

Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.' Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 'The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.' Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town."


In Heaven Speaks to Those Who Have Rejected God, Jesus explains what life without God is:


"I speak today with the greatest seriousness. My beloved one, you were created by God. God did not create you to reject your place in His family. You are important in this family, which includes all of mankind. To cast yourself out of God’s love is to cast yourself out of your family. You object to this, telling yourself that you do not reject mankind, only the Creator of mankind. My friend, this is like reaching into your chest and removing your heart with the goal of rejecting your heart but accepting your body. The body will not function without the heart. It cannot. In the same way, the family of God cannot function without the sustaining hand of the Father. Even the earth would fail to exist if the Father were to withdraw His benevolence. Your rejection of God proceeds from anger. You move to deny this. Perhaps you cite scientific evidence that claims to supplant God’s existence. When you die in your body and you come before Me, Jesus Christ, you will be dazzled by the extent of what humanity does not know. The body of knowledge on earth at this time, while exciting for you, is miniscule when seen against the light of the full truth that you will be allowed to explore in heaven. I bless all science of good will. God has been merciful in the extreme through science. Many men have studied science and been brought to a profound respect for the Creator through the knowledge they have gained. They will continue this study in heaven, of course, and be blessed even more. Additionally, many men who study science have served their family, humanity, profoundly through their cooperation with Me in their studies. Do you understand? They cooperate with God and God, through that cooperation, blesses humanity. It is arrogance on the part of mankind to believe that they have discovered anything that I did not wish for them to discover. You, as one of God’s created ones, must come to accept that those using science to subvert Godly principles are working against the Creator. They will be accountable for any damage done to the Kingdom of God. I am merciful to those who repent and I will be merciful to you. I speak to you today, not to condemn, but to save. I am with you. Do not reject Me."

Lay apostles, God's instructions are very simple and the end result is peace and joy.  We each are blessed with special gifts. Share those gifts willingly and lovingly. How can you change a mind toward Christ with your love and knowledge today?  Give someone Volume One? Discuss todays Gospel? There are so many ways we can shine the Light of Christ. Be open to giving and receiving.  There is so much to learn!

Thank you, Lord, for an open mind to accept the Truth. You are so easy to love.  Please help me keep an open mind to learning from Jay's IBD!   

God bless,
Bonnie

1 comment:

Whitney said...

I will never forget that story! Lol my poor son will probably experience the same thing. Great blog post!