I his writing “Jesus and the Disinherited” Rev. Howard Thurman writes these words:
The disinherited will know for themselves that there is a Spirit at work in life and in the hearts of men which is committed to overcoming the world. It is universal, knowing no age, no race, no culture, no condition of men.
Indeed, there is a Spirit. The Spirit of life moves in the heart of all beings and in all creation. This is the spirit that the world cannot deny, minimize or tarnish in any way. Nor can the world eliminate this spirit by any behavior. This spirit is the power of life that first draws us into creation and entices us forward throughout our human existence.
This Spirit is made manifest in the world yet is it not of the world. The vision of this Spirit is a vision of the divinity of all human kind and all creation. This Spirit is the oneness of all creation. All that is brought forth into life from the one source that is the cause of all life. We, you and I are the effect of this cause – we are the life and love made manifest. We are brought into life for the purpose of love. Love God, love ourselves, and love one another.is what the greatest commandment tells us we are to do and be. This energy of love that we are called to express is the perpetuation of life in human form. For energy to continue in form, it is to be used, spent, shared. The energy of love remains in the circulation of love for as long as we love it into continued existence.
While we are indeed living this oh so very human world, we are above all else spiritual beings. Our spiritual essence is our first quality. Thus, we are endowed with all that is needed to overcome the world. “Be in the world but not of the world”. We hear the words “Be not conformed to this world, be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2) As we delve deeper into these words, we open our mind to what thoughts and beliefs are provoked by this world what thoughts and beliefs do we carry about humanity that invite us to a process of transformation.
We step even further into these words and we notice the invitation to explore all aspects of our being and all spaces of our soul for what might be transformed by the renewal of our mind. What is ready and wanting to be transformed from banal worldly thinking to the highest thoughts of divine love.
I think that it is no accident we have arrived at this place and in this time to experience all that is moving in our world at this very moment. I think we are all here to be transformed by new ways thinking and being. We are here to learn new ways of being with one another as one humanity born of one Source. We are here to be the transformative power of thought energy that moves life closer to our true purpose of being. We are here at this very moment to transform hate, anger, resentment, rage, inequality, injustice, judgment, and fear. We are here to transform our world to be love.
Perhaps this sounds like a utopian fantasy for some. Perhaps it feels unattainable yet, if I transform my own heart and mind to the highest call of love, I have made the first step of doing what is mine to do. It all begins with me and with you; one heart, one mind, one soul at a time. Are you ready? Are you willing?