Words From the Self: Relationships

The purpose of all your relationships is to learn and practice forgiveness. A point of clarification is in order. In this context, forgiveness does not mean looking at the sin of another, and making the decision to then ignore the sin, often under the condition that the offender display guilt and repentance. This is denial in the worst form, because the sin you hold against your brother becomes the sin you hold against yourself. And so you and your brother pretend to forget about this sin without ever really letting it go. If you but search your heart, and remember all the times you offered conditional forgiveness to your brothers and sisters, you will see that this is so. If there is even a slight hint of annoyance or irritation or anger felt upon remembering an injustice being done to you, it is because the sin was never forgiven. This, however, should not be a source of guilt, for, as always, guilt works against our purposes. The more honest thing to do is to acknowledge the truth of what you are experiencing and ask for guidance in release. Remember: all condemnation (whether it is upon another or upon the self) ALWAYS comes from the ego, never from God, who's love is unconditional.

All this being said, true forgiveness is choosing to see nothing but the Light in your brother. Indeed, there is no greater gift you can offer another than to say to him, "Brother, I see the Christ in you. Your Light is not hidden from me. I see it shine within you, and it is the Light by which I see my own." If your relationships are founded on forgiveness, they are blessed indeed.

Does this sound impossible? It is not impossible to you, but it is impossible to the ego, because the ego sees only error and separation. The ego relishes attacking the sins in others, because that it is the method by which it distracts you from the fact that it is also attacking YOU. If you were conscious of its attacks on you, there is little doubt that you would cease to tolerate it and withdraw your belief in it. But the ego would have you believe that to attack another is to save yourself. Furthermore, it believes that offering forgiveness to your brother would leave you open to attacks from all side.

The problem here is the ego's insane assumption that you can be attacked in the first place. To believe in attack is to believe that the separation is real. There is no compromise on this point. Either the separation is real, or it isn't. Either all is One or it isn't. If the separation is real then attack is possible, and you would have great reason to fear it, as well as to defend yoursel against it. But if all is One, and Love is all there is, then when you attack, you attack your Self, and when you defend, you again attack your Self by believing that the Self is vulnerable and capable of being attacked.

Ask yourself this: Has attack ever brought you peace? And even in its "noblest" form (such as in defense), is not the peace it brings but temporary, and soon replaced by fear of further attack? Perhaps a better question is this: has attack ever released you from fear? To this, one may respond, "Fear is the way of the world." Indeed, it is, and so the last question then becomes, "Do I wish to walk the way of the world?"

This, does not mean, that you should allow yourself to become a doormat for abuse. If you are being attacked, the most loving thing you can do for youself and your attacker is to remove your Self from the situation in whatever way seems fit. It is not helpful to either of you to reinforce attack by allowing it to continue. What is helpful is to remember that even when he attacks you, your brother is seeing what is not there and is calling out for your love. Answer him, so that you might both be saved.

Your task is to remain awake, take your sibling's hand and see the savior in her. For verily, verily I say unto you, you do not enter Heaven without your brother and sister, for the Kingdom of Heaven is within all of you. Can a kingdom divided stand? Or is it not doomed to fall? But there is but one Mind, and for each one that attains the salvation of enlightenment, they become the Light in the world that serves as beacons for other Lights. It is in this manner that the salvation of enlightenment has already been accomplished, and you, the children of humanity, are now but witnessing the effects of the First Cause.

Rejoice, for Gods will is done on earth as it is in Heaven. Heaven and earth have been made one, and the Last Miracle has closed the book of death and opened the Book of Life. All names have been written in, and none will be lost. None CAN be lost, because God is in all of you.