L e s s o n  349

Today I let Christ's vision look upon
all things for me and judge them not, but give each one a miracle of love instead. 

<AUDIO> <VIDEO>   

Hear Today's Lesson~Voice & Music by Martin Weber-Caspers[maz] 

IAMBIC PENTAMETER 
Format from URTEXT by Lee Flynn 

   "So would I liberate all things I see,
    and give to them the freedom that I seek.

    For thus do I obey the law of love,

    and give what I would find and make my own.

    It will be given me because I have

    chosen it as the gift I want to give.

    Father, Your gifts are mine. Each one that I

    accept gives me a miracle to give.

    And giving as I would receive, I learn

    Your healing miracles belong to me."

   Our Father knows our needs. He gives us grace

   to meet them all. And so we trust in Him

   to send us miracles to bless the world

   and heal our minds, as we return to Him.

"Today I let Christ's vision look upon all things for me and judge them not, but give each one a miracle of love instead". Isn't that precisely our choice in each situation before us? We can either decide it is not to our liking, not what we bargained for, not what we expected or we can let our own judgments go about how the situation should have been go and allow instead to allow the miracle to replace all grievances. What are you upset about today? Every day does seem to bring some upsets, some seemingly bigger than others. But will we allow them to rule our day or is there a better way? The lesson says that if we obey the law of love, then we need to give exactly that which we want for ourselves. If we really knew that with each attack it is as if we were hurting only ourselves, could we really keep up the attacks? And if we want to receive the miracle, we must be prepared to give it. And to give it is to release our judgments, our expectations and our plans for how things should be.

What is it to see with Christ's vision? It is to see someone past their body and their personality. It is to recognize that we all share the same nature. We are all holy. We are looking beyond the illusion and seeing the truth of who someone is. We are basically refusing to share a perception of littleness in anyone, including ourselves. We release our belief that we are limited by our body identity and that we are defined by our personalities.

To let Christ's vision look upon all things for me and judge them not is to give everyone a miracle. It is to see everyone as innocent and as loveable. How do I liberate all things and give them the freedom I see? (1.1) The answer to that question is that I obey the law of love. But what is this law? It is to give whatever it is I want to receive. In this instance we are giving the gift of freedom and that gift releases us from judgment. It is our judgments that keep us in bondage. 

Judgment is a weapon that we use against ourselves. It binds us to anger as lesson 347 affirms. It reflects our fear. When we refuse to judge, which is to compare and to condemn, and instead, accept everyone fully, we see our own love and innocence reflected everywhere. Then we know that we too are free. But when we join with our brothers and sisters with love, we are not simply covering over our anger at them. Nor are we falsely sympathetic which the Course calls false empathy. If we have these kinds of thoughts we release them for healing so that we can know the holiness of our own minds. We ask for help from the Holy Spirit so that we can join with our brother's strengths (true empathy) and release any feelings of anger or fear we have toward them.

Jesus recognizes our instability on this path when he says "you who are sometimes sad and sometimes angry; who sometimes feel your just due is not given you, and your best efforts meet with lack of appreciation and even contempt; give up these foolish thoughts! They are too small and meaningless to occupy your holy mind an instant longer. God's judgment waits for you to set you free" (M. 15.3.1) And what is God's judgment of us? that we are holy, never sinned and are forever innocent.  

Then he goes on to ask us "What can the world hold out to you, regardless of your judgments on its gifts ( what I think I want) that you would rather have?" (M.15.3.4)Haven't we all felt like we have tried so hard to do the right and proper things but that the world responds with contempt or indifference to us? These are the kinds of thoughts we need to give up. These are the thoughts that Jesus calls our foolish thoughts. These thoughts keep us from knowing the holiness and innocence of our own minds. They keep us in a state of victimhood where we believe that we are not getting our fair shake. But we have only one purpose in being here and that is to recognize our holiness so we can offer it to everyone. It is not about trying to achieve new beliefs but giving up the false beliefs we now hold. It is not about making a better self (ego) but giving up our private thoughts and recognizing the truth about the Self that we are.

The decision we make in each encounter today is to liberate everyone we see or everyone we hold in some kind of bondage. In other words do we choose heaven or hell for ourselves because whatever we give we receive.

"Our Father knows our needs. He gives us grace to meet them all. And so we trust in Him to send us miracles to bless the world, and heal our minds as we return to Him" (349.2)
 
Love and blessings, Sarah

^{A Course in Miracles}     

^{MANUAL FOR TEACHERS}

12. How Many Teachers of God Are Needed To Save the World?

On-Line Searchable Edition of Original Edition

 2011 Study Guide Schedule