Health In Community

FEB. 14, 1981, 5:34 AM
HITCHING POST, LIBERTYVILLE

You are ready, o son, to commence a new class, and so let us speak again of health… your field… in community… your focus for this course. It shall have some relationship to the one titled Community Health, but, you shall see, will have integrity in and of itself. I am pleased when you faithfully come to seek My counsel when you are away from home.

The theme I wish to develop today is that, for humans, as for most creatures, the fullest health is developed in community with others. Individual strength and capacity and individually developed fitness… these are fundamentals. Also, of course, the developed mind, the controlled and expressed emotions, and the perception of self are other individual fundamentals.

But the main value of having these individual capacities to function is in being a happy, contributing member of a group or community. Of course, you gain personally from group interaction, but this gain is for naught if you do not reinvest it, in a group again. And know that what you gain in one group can empower you and enable you to function more effectively in others.

The family is this basic community. As you interact with family members, which is interaction with a history, long to short, you become more capable of, say, teaching classes… and establishing a healthy community therein. You do this in classes, but you could become somewhat more conscious of it. Be aware of the rhythm, however; too much consciousness may cause it to be too contrived.

Love is the heart of family relationships. As you are related to others in the life giving and life sustaining processes love should flow from spirit to spirit. When I am in your midst, as in your family, the love is even more evident. Related to love are faith, trust, integrity, responsibility… given and received so that they “color” all interactions. The healthy family community helps increase the health of the individuals therein and thus the family gains strength. Also each goes forth to other communities and contributes to the health of each… and receives from the interactions.

Yet the health of a family community is not gained with just “good times”. Adversity is an important ingredient, as is pain, sorrow… even calamity. Individuals may suffer, but from this the health of family may grow. Remember My example as Jesus. I had to suffer unto a painful, shameful death that My family of disciples might be energized to go forth with strength. Paul had to be struck down blind, and then he was led into the developing Christian family, in which he remained and strengthened mightily.

You realize we have spoken of the positive… and that the negative also occurs, sadly. From adversity may also come deterioration, enmity, strife… even hate. As the health of a family is low the individuals within it can gain little… and, instead, create an atmosphere of strife that lowers capacities to function well. “To him who hath shall more be given, and from him who has little even what he has shall be taken away.” This is another statement of the law called karma. It shall be this way unless someone comes and changes things. There is a risk to a healthy person trying to raise the being of an unhealthy community, but it is a spiritual risk of great value. I know. I was in the world… and not well received.

I am pleased with your change of heart and spirit in relation to Wilma Ruth. There is much that you can do for one another. The drought has been long. Now comes the season of beautiful growth. Of course I initiated it, but you are making it happen. The potential was there all the time, unrealized.

So, do what you can to make of this class a community. From a healthy community can come individual growth, and healthy individuals increase the reserve health of a community. You cannot make it happen, but you are the designated leader, and they shall look to you for clues as to how healthy this community shall be.

Don’t forget your Christmas letter. You have only a small idea of how this contributes to the health of your family and friends. I nudge again.

Amen on My original Sabbath
6:34 AM