Both/And Is Balance

TUES., MAR. 16, 1993, 6:54 AM
FARM, STUDY

As long as you’re ready to seek Teachings for this first Ruminations of the year you might as well have one more rather direct one from Me, the Holy Spirit, on the theme. What I’m telling you this morning is that both/and thinking is essential to good balance. You know that I’m continuing to call for balance in your life, even as balances are not often perfectly equal.

The Beatitude for tomorrow’s discussion is mercy… blessed are the merciful… happy are those who show mercy. The balance for mercy is obviously justice. Too much mercy makes for an unjust society. Too much justice leads to a merciless state of being. This is one reason that My offer of grace is often rejected or not considered in pure form – it seems to overbalance judgment on how one has lived a whole life. It seems, to many Christians, that I should have some better balance with justice. Those who have lived cautiously, rightly (not righteously as I use the term), and soberly want “credit” for the “works” they’ve done. Yet what I’m looking for is commitment to Me, the “why” of good works. I have to admit, however, that grace is a rather gross overbalance, but I offer it, and I stand by it.

Now greed needs to be balanced in the other direction. Greed is excessive desire for money or for what money can buy. It is excessive desire to have anything just for yourself. Yet once one has accumulated for oneself the spirit may “kick in,” bringing dissatisfaction with what is accumulated, and the spirit of giving now has something more tangible to give. One who never exhibits greed may have little to share when others are in need.

Matthew still has the desire to share, as he did when he had little money and few things. However, now he has much, and there are many who have both wants and needs, and it is hard to decide who to give to and how much. You experience some of this feeling when you receive several requests in the mail each day for money for some good cause. As mailing lists are shared you become known as one who gives. Excessive requests cause you to pull back and be greedy again, for greed is also holding on to what you have.

One epitome of both/and thinking is the expression of “a time to” (or for) in Ecclesiastes. An interesting one for the present is, “a time to kill and a time to heal.” The dominant medical philosophy of your culture has been, “it’s always time to heal,” even as bodies show forth counter responses. Much expensive effort goes into saving and prolonging lives, encouraging the healing process, but often in vain. Now comes the challenge… is there also a time to let a spirit move on, to speed the departure just a bit, and to help those who want no more of earth life to shorten their own lives (or perhaps move on when they should), with dignity?

The dilemma as I’ve told you in many ways, is that, medically, your culture tends to overvalue human life. Life and death are both important. The balance of life and death must always be assessed, and now it tends to be overbalanced toward more life, whatever the expense.