From A Higher Perspective: "The Second Coming..."

"For Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required, and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask more." Luke 12:48 KJV 

In our striving to arrive to a place of success, we often seem to forget the second part until life comes screaming at us to pay attention.

My heart did not permit me to watch newscasts and all the videos of the thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Harvey. But I knew it was bad...very bad. I needed to hold onto my heart. 

Not watching television did not excluded me from seeing reams and reams of social media reports of rescue efforts. I did my part contributing where I felt called. And amidst the many reports I saw scores of other reports:  of those Houstonians who remained un-involved, praying for others from a distance, and doing little else to help.

One such person, sadly, is the prominent Houston Pastor Joel Osteen, who often talked in his Sunday sermons about how God "gifted" him with the Houston arena. This is a mega arena, a former NFL stadium, seating 16,500 people each Sunday. Osteen’s doors remained closed in the early days, as Harvey lashed its fury upon residents in Houston.

I didn't read all the reports coming through, but the sheer volume of them streaming through my Facebook feed made reading a few of them inevitable.

As many of you know, I have long been an admirer of Osteen. I've long celebrated his rise and style of preaching and teaching. Like Osteen, I believe Jesus was our way-shower, not wanting to be deified but wanting only to show people the way to open their own consciousness to The Christ consciousness within them. So, I did not want to believe that he, Joel, stopped short of demonstrating that Christ consciousness when it was most critically needed.

While thinking of Joel Osteen, I began thinking of my own  lapses and the lapses of so many of us. Almost on a daily basis, if we're aware, we're called to do more than just talk about TRUTH and preach/teach to others. Often, we are called to actions of "The Christ," but just as often we miss those opportunities.

There's one thing to be gifted with the power of the tongue to bless many to awaken to God's presence and power in their lives. It's another to step forward and be counted when those among us are "dying," yet we turn a blind eye to them.

I will not repeat what the news reports said about Osteen. You can access those yourself. But the message I want to share today is that we have to awaken to TRUTH each moment of each day, as opportunites knock on our doors of consciousness to "Be Christ" in the moment.

Unlike some of my Christians brothers and sisters, I do not believe there is ever going to be "a second coming of Christ!" I believe that Christ already arrived once and now the second coming is about us.

Believe it or not: the second coming of the Christ is about you and me and Joel Osteen.

DEMONSTRATING THE CHRIST SPIRIT:
 *Saudia Solomon Turney is a therapist in Houston,
working with people
in crisis of some sort on a daily basis, was moved during Hurricane Harvey
to contribute to Hurricane Harvey victims from
her own contributions and those of friends.  See photos of some of their donated items below. 

It's about us stepping out of the shadows of our lives and going out of our way to demonstrate that we know and understand the "Christ" teachings. It's about us awakening from the stupor of our own successes and the grandeur of our lives and realizing that we may have been blessed...not because we may be beautiful, talented and gifted...but for a purpose! The gifts of spirit are never only about us, though they do come through us and our ways (talents) in the world! Our gifts of spirits are not intended only for us to stand out from the crowd, but they intended for us to be among the few who should be counted as the next generations of Christ!
(See Michael Dell's response to the Hurricane: Michael Dell donates $36 Million to Hurricane Recovery,)

 Yes! We are the "next gen of Christ!"

We are all being called to be Christ-like 
in our ways and step out of our shadows 
and step up to the TOP of our own pulpits and do what is right...without being told what to do.  

If we truly are believers in the Christ way, we must be believers all the way:

1. We must walk barefoot among those who do, so that those without shoes would not be shamed in any way. OR, if we want to wear shoes, we must ensure that those who walk beside us wear shoes, too!

2. We must preach and teach not from an elevated platform, but from the plateau on which our Souls have rested in a new consciousness of The Christ.

3. We must see within the eyes of our friends and colleagues the silent pain they carry and reach out our hands so they can hold something tangible when they are in pain.

4. We must reach into our own Souls to see into their Souls the silent tears so many wear beyond their smiling facades.

5. Whether Christian, Jew, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist or Pantheist: we must all form a brotherhood of love and unity and fight with every breath of our being those who would seek to divide us and our shared humanity.

One person visiting victims
of Hurricane Harvey wore high heels. 

6. We must all learn from the examples of those who have amassed the greatest sums of money on earth and have chosen to give it all away (See the Giving Pledge); make these people our heroes and role models.

7. In the end, we must fight like Jesus did when he threw over the tables of the money changers and throw over the tables of engaging useless sports, like cocaine and other indulgences; we must think of the lives being lost to drugs and be grateful for the privileges we've been given so that they can be used to serve in some way.

Religion is often disparaged by many who seek Spirituality. The greatest thing we can learn along the way as we strive for spiritual growth is that spirituality is at the base of all religions. Spirituality without a Soul is meaningless. We can learn all we want about meditation and getting into the center of our being, and about the Spirit of God being within us. But if this learning is not coupled with transformation in that Spirit, like Christ, then our spirituality has a BIG HOLE in its soul. 

Jesus said:

 "O faithless generation; how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?"                                                             Mark 19:19  (KJV) 

Esentially, Jesus was asking his disciples when will they truly learn his ways.

Yet. Many of us still wait... with hands and arms folded... in anticipation for his "Second Coming."

Unfold those hands and arms and use them instead to reach others in some way. Doing so, we'll then find the waiting will not be in vain.

Unfolding our hands and arms, one day we'll each wake up...in the not-too-distant future... and realize: Christ has come again!

Namaste',  
Che'
*NOTE: Saudia Solomon Turney is one of my nieces. Being the youngest of my parents' nine children, I have several nieces and nephews living throughout the United States.