I Would Like to Help…But…

Happy Wednesday, Dear TSJ Friends,

Today I want to share a short and recent story from the pages of my own spiritual journey.  Perhaps some of it may resonate with you too.

With that in mind, I have been thinking once again about how attached we often are to the three letter word “but” and how that little word can cloud our perceptions, prevent great things from being created and cast shadows of egregious doubts and fears that block the light we can shine in our world.  Now, rest assured I do realize, of course, when “but” follow a negative event that turns positive we say things like, “It rained all week, but …” At such times the three letter word usually at least casts a silver lining perspective.

Either way, it seems the word “but” represents a shifting perspective.  A shift that presents possibilities for miracles to occur.

What am I saying? I am saying that the God I grow to believe in more richly as I age is the kind of God that when I call for help would never say, “Ms. Margie, I would like to help … but.”  I think God might, however, say, “I would like to help and here are some resources you have right now. Look up and you will see ….”

The Bible is replete with such stories.  And in those stories we learn that our Shepherd specializes in healing and miracles. Or what we think are miracles.  In reality they are simply how God’s will works in His Kingdom.  It is we who become attached to our perspectives, our beliefs and most of all to our doubts, cynicism and fear.

A few weeks ago I heard a minister from another church who had a marvelous way of telling stories and a deep resonant voice that made familiar Bible stories seem new and relevant. He told stories about people in the old testament and some from the new testament. All of them very human and very divine in portent.

The story that resonated with me could be titled, “Give Me What you Have: It is Enough.”

The gospels tell the story of Jesus and his disciples spending many hours with more than five thousand people who came to listen to Jesus speak. At the end of the day, he noted the people were tired and hungry and they should be fed before sending them on their long trek by foot back home.. The disciples were very overwhelmed and somewhat resistant to this idea.  Their response was filled with …”but …but…”   They were not prepared and surely there were no large grocery stores or hot dog wagons  available.  The disciples “knew” they did not have enough and this felt like an impossible  enterprise to undertake.

Jesus’ response was simple. Note,  he did not say, “I would like to help, but …”

He asked them a question, “What do you have?.”

And the disciples could only come up with a few small loaves of bread and a few fish. (Please note…this is a very loose re-telling on my part.)  However, whatever they did have was clearly not enough for five thousand tired and hungry people.

Notice again… Jesus’ concern was that they name what they did have, not what they lacked.  And then a miracle happened.  Jesus blessed what they offered and there was enough for all to eat with baskets left over.

Suddenly their perspective on what was possible changed. That is the essence of what a miracle is.  A shift in our perception of the physical and the divine. God works through us when we offer what we have.

Do you have unfulfilled dreams?  Ideas of things you would like to accomplish this week or this year or in the next five years?  Do you see how hurting and spiritually hungry people are in this world –  to say nothing of how physically hungry, hurting, broken and challenged people are? Do you feel like anything you can offer is not enough? Of course we all feel this at times.

Our task is to ask for divine help, and the answer will be “just do what you can. Use what you have available and remember I am the Enough you are longing for.”   We must be willing to give what we have and remember the Great Spirit that roams this earth is Enough.  That Spirit is Love.

As we learn to breathe Love’s Presence into our very being we will be better equipped to hear that still small voice of God saying, “Give what you have. I will take care of the rest.” The voice is the same voice Moses heard.. the Voice of I AM.

We are God’s voice, hands, arms and feet in this world.

I am so prone to feel like what I have and who I am in comparison to who I want to be is not enough.  I know I am not alone. God,of course, says otherwise.

Happy shepherding as you practice being shepherded.  You are enough.  Let’s watch miracles unfold.

Margie and Solomon….