2010-09-16-Being Versus Doing

Session

Lesson

Teacher: “It is better ‘to be’ than ‘to do.’ This is a phrase you have often heard. What does it really mean? To really understand some truth and internalize a value you have to become what you want to know. As you read today, doing good deeds will not help you in your spiritual career, unless you infuse you actions with true love.

“Remember the master’s parable about the two sons. One of them said he would do what his father asked of him, but he didn’t. The other son said no, but finally decided to do what his father wanted. The one who did his father’s will got the credit not because of what he did, but because in his heart he realized what was right and he decided to follow his inner motivation.

“In order to truly serve your brothers and sisters in this world you have to love them first. Before showing the fruits of love, you have to let this love enter your heart, you have to practice it and you must become love. Only then will a lasting change take place in your personality and will you truly realize through experience what it means to really love. When knowledge is gained ‘under the light of’ an authentic life experience, that knowledge becomes forever a part of you.

“Today there are a lot of people donating large sums of money to fashionable causes, but they are not achieving any spiritual progress. It is not a matter of being good so others can see how good they are. It is about learning to really love their siblings. This is where one should focus one’s efforts to achieve real spiritual growth.

“In similar fashion, when you strive to live our Father’s will, don’t do it because it is the right thing to do. The followers of Jesus stayed with Him until the very end, beyond the fear and the humiliation. They did this not because of the great truths he taught them, but because they loved Him deeply, because of the life He lived among them. Learn to love your Father and you will see with how much ease your consistently following the guidance of His presence within you becomes your habit. By loving God you will increasingly better understand the magnitude of the absolute and unconditional love He feels for you.”