© 1993 Ann Bendall
© 1993 ANZURA, Australia & New Zealand Urantia Association
| Vol 14 No 2 March 1993 | Vol 14 No 2 March 1993 — Index | The Teaching Mission. “If Not Actual Personalities, Then What?” |
Ann Bendall, Nambour, Qld
Excuse me, but at the risk of appearing inquisitive, may I ask you:
Alright, I will come clean. Jesus at Tyre (UB 156:3.2) suggested to his apostles that they ask themselves these questions (among others), and to my mind this really presupposes that we really consciously appraise what we think, feel and do. Jesus wants us to take note of where we are and how we are progressing.
He also respectfully suggests a few desirable characteristics which we should strive towards acquiring. In typical fashion, he defines what he means and points to the benefits of the concept.
“Tact is the fulcrum of social leverage, and tolerance is the earmark of a great soul. If you possess these rare and charming gifts, as the days pass you will become more alert and expert in your worthy efforts to avoid all unnecessary social misunderstandings. Such wise souls are able to avoid much of the trouble which is certain to be the portion of all who suffer from lack of emotional adjustment, those who refuse to grow up, and those who refuse to grow old gracefully.” (UB 156:5.18)
Now I know he calls them gifts, and gifts indeed they are, for anything of value that I acquire is through the grace of God and the dedicated enterprise of my Thought Adjuster. Time and time again I have told him to bulldoze his way through the resistance of my will, such as when I am asleep. Unfortunately this is not God’s way. However, he has made it easy for me by giving me The URANTIA Book. Before receiving it, I might have believed tactlessness and intolerance were to be my ideals. I sure was surrounded by them. Now with assurance and determination, I grit my teeth and strive for the acquirement of these gifts, so very, very rare on this planet.
After I get them I am going to learn not to “grow weary in well-doing because I (he) am (is) thwarted.” (UB 156:5.21) This means that because the experience of my past may have been disappointing, I will not change my pattern of behaviour. I will continue to love, trust, value and offer assistance to every person I meet. If they respond by gnawing at my proffered hand, it may, in the interests of my striving to be “wise as a serpent” necessitate my removing my presence to ensure that I am “as gentle as a dove”. However, this experience will in no way lessen my resolve to continue to greet every new person in like manner, and similarly approach the hand gnawer if circumstance necessitates us interacting again at some future time.
When I have got that down to a fine art I am going to “seek no unearned recognition and crave no undeserved sympathy.” (UB 156:5.19) Consequently “to God the glory” for anything I may achieve which those around deem worthy of congratulations and praise $(mmm, this will be a rather irregular occurrence, I suspect). And when I defy universal laws with abandon, and give advice when it is neither requested nor desired, I will no longer look to the starry heights at night anticipating a “this is my beloved daughter in whom I am well pleased”. Now will I expect my Thought Adjuster to wipe the tears of my wisdom, born of repeated stupidity.
By the time I acquire all of these characteristics I suspect I may have difficulty finding kindred spirits on Urantia. In an attempt to protect myself against this eventuality, may I make a request. Let’s synchronize desires. What fun if we readers could become tactful, tolerant, seek no unearned recognition, stop looking for sympathy, and simply spend each day in invigorating “well-doing”.
| Vol 14 No 2 March 1993 | Vol 14 No 2 March 1993 — Index | The Teaching Mission. “If Not Actual Personalities, Then What?” |