Trying to read and comprehend the Bible can certainly be confusing! Consider these two passages:


Ex 20:4-6 "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments."

Ezekiel 18:20 "The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son."



"Which is true?" you may wonder.  I invite you to consider the possibility it is neither, either or both!

Before we get to that, however I would like to point out that the use of the word "jealous" in the first passage, was what many Bible scholars consider a misinterpretation of the word meaning "zealous." I stand by this one, because God is Spirit and does not have human emotion. This is another example of us making God into our image and likeness rather than striving to become the image and likeness of God. Zeal, however, being a Spiritual Faculty not human emotion, would be a fitting word.

Whereas God would not hold the offspring responsible for the errors of the parents; in the realm of human consciousness WE tend to influence our children with our thoughts, feelings, beliefs and actions. Parents are like gods to their children...the source of supply, protection, and power.

Think about this...when you first registered to vote, did you declare the party of your parents, or your own? Ask yourself how many things your parents taught, did you follow without question? This could be beliefs, opinions, prejudices, etc.  Many people worship in the church of their parents, even though they do not agree with the teaching.

As parents, we have the responsibility to teach our children well. To teach them love, and truth, and not our opinions or prejudices. You will see in many families a cycle of dysfunction that repeats. Often, abused children become abusers. Is it their fault? Or is it a causative factor in their development? Simply put, causal thoughts, feelings and actions sent forth by the parents have a multiplying effect on their children.

Racial equality was declared in the US two generations ago, but prejudiced beliefs of elders are still being taught to upcoming generations. Hate against other religions is passed on from generation to generation.

The good news is, that the cycle CAN be broken. The passage from Exodus tells us this can go on for three or four generations. To me that says that while the cycle can be broken, it won't happen overnight so we must be consistent and patient.

Within each of us is the spark of divinity we in Unity call Christ, it is the "God-part; Spirit." Even those who bear the prejudicial, judgmental, dysfunctional 'sins of the fathers' bear the spark, they just don't know it. But in my belief system, it cannot languish forever.

What can make the difference? How can the spark be coaxed into flame? That is the mission of those who are already awakened. We must go beyond our own knowing, to inspiring others. We can look at it this way: "The BLESSINGS (good thoughts, words and actions) of the FATHERS (those who are already awakened), shall inspire the sons (awakening ones) for three or four generations. WOW!

This week, I invite you to examine the ways you can inspire others as well as to ask yourself if you are still passing error thoughts, beliefs and feelings instilled in you by your parents, teachers, ministers, etc.