Problems

JUNE 17, 1980, 4:21 PM
NORTH CONWAY, ADELYNROOD

Yes, o son, you are supposed to be here, and you are supposed to be entering into this consideration of problems. There are two main purposes to be fulfilled: one is that you have a better, newer experience with this view which you shall complement, and the second is that you are to make some contributions from a positive, holistic perspective.

As you were listening to the Bishop earlier it did take you a little while to get the perspective – it is not that his position is more “Christian” or that yours is… rather it is that both are necessary parts of the Christian perspective. Know that he would have as hard a time hearing and expressing your view as you would his… you obviously both accept Me and seek My guidance. I affirm that I give it to you both. How can that be? Because I am interested in the well and in the sick. I am concerned with problems, but I am also enamored of life led in a straight forward loving, grace-accepting way. And I have to have servants who lead people in all ways.

If you are serving Me it matters not whether you are doing something more important or better than other servants. Remember that as you get “better and better” and more toward number one you also move closer to last. How do you “win”? Everyone who serves Me and dedicates what they do to Me “wins”. The exact content or process is of more minor concern to Me.

Allright, you are quite interested in how I see the “problems” of the cities, that the Bishop described so eloquently. First, they are both problems to solve and conditions of living. There is always a balance to achieve between improving life conditions and accepting those you have. Occasionally it is important to recall that in MY time in the earth as Jesus I had what many of your social critics would call a low standard of living. I did not spend time and effort improving My lot or grumbling about needs. Would I, if I were living in the slums of Washington, DC? Read My admonitions and decide for yourself.

Communism is quite an acceptable social system. Changing to such a system would “solve” certain inequalities and redistribute resources more fairly. But it would not be ideal. Problems would not disappear. Put positively, in your orientation, communism would bring somewhat different opportunities for service to Me. As soon as you identified these you could, in a new context, serve Me… or you could identify and try to overcome the new “problems” that would be evident.

Each political party offers a different approach to handling certain “problems”. Each would have certain merits. Each approach, of course, leads to eventual economic turmoil… which shall be another set of conditions in which to serve Me. Do you “get the picture”? It is perfectly proper for you as a Christian to work toward alleviation and prevention of problems… as long as your motivation is toward Me… or genuinely toward others. It is equally right for a Christian to work in the world, oblivious to “problems” … again, if the focus of life is toward Me.

It is fine that some of My servants expend their energies helping alcoholics to sobriety and new life. Ultimate “success” comes, however, in doing it for Me rather than in percentages of recovery. Other servants will have no concern whatsoever for alcoholism, but will still dedicate whatever they do to Me.

Yes, even some of My good servants will be for war. That now astounds you, but just know that you are to increasingly oppose war… but without the sense that this is the Christian position. It shall be part of your story, that’s all. I shall be interested in your first genuine confrontation on this issue. Yes, of course I shall comment!

I was pleased with your story and with your consciousness in sharing it with Allen. It was an almost ideal mutual sharing. Well, yes, you do need to practice listening in more careful ways. You now have your basic, long story. Now you shall have to develop alternative shorter ones. That is not a problem but an opportunity. You shall soon get the feel of it, and will be able to use it capably in your teaching.

So, listen and try to understand the “problems” approach, as something with which you shall contrast.

Have a happy time here. Amen.
5:10 PM