The Father Within, Chris P [poetry books to read txt] 📗

his walking stick from the water and sat against the tree.  This deep eyes looked into the water.  Kai sat next to him waiting for a reply from his Master.

"I know you intend to spread love what I am saying is I pray that you do, in fact, spread love."

Kai was starting to become upset with his Master and replied, "Have you heard nothing?  Nothing at all?"

Kai arose and walked around the other side of the tree and placed his hand upon its bark.  "I wish to touch the world like I am touching this tree, Master.  I love the world and her people.  This I learned from you.  Why do you speak of fear when my heart is burning to spread love?"

Kai walked back around the tree and knelt in front of his Master.  "What are you trying to tell me, Master?"

"All of us are both teachers and students simultaneously.  We are constantly giving and taking from the world, her people, places, and things during our everyday travels.  Our goal is to ensure we give love freely much like freely we receive love."

"But Master, this is what i do not yet understand," repeated Kai.

"But you already understand, you have just not realized it yet.  Continue to keep an open mind as you have done throughout the years for what I am about to share with you."

"You know I will," replied Kai.

""Yes, yes, I know you will," the teacher said with a sincere smile.

He turned toward the water and facing this radiant essence he said, "You have gained much knowledge since we have been together.  I am sure you can quote any saying from your Great Book and recite all of Luma's teachings without giving it a single thought.  You also spoke wonderfully earlier.  There is passion and fervor in every word that crosses your lips..  Those listening would have loved your words, your metaphors, and your analogies."

His teacher turned and faced Kai.  "All these skills will place you in many situations where others will base decisions about their very lives upon the words you speak.  This creates a unique position for people like us who choose to teach others.  This is why we must be absolutely certain we spread love and not fear.  Our mission is to heal not harm for the world is already filled with many who intend to heal but in truth harm, my dear Kai."

"But Master," shouted Kai.  "I wish to heal  not harm the world!"

"Of course you do," said his Master.  The Master stared at the water just by his feet and said, "Look at your reflection in the water, Kai."

"Master, tell me plainly what you wish to say," said Kai who was growing ever more impatient and upset.

"Kai, look at your reflection in the water," insisted the teacher without flinching.

Begrudgingly, Kai knelt by the water and saw his reflection.

"The world is our reflection.  Much like the water reflects your face back to you, all of the people, places, and things you encounter during your travells will also reflect back to you.  If you give love to the world, the world will reflect love back to you.  Smile and the world will smile back at you; teach fear and the world will give fear back to you.  Today, I will be your world; your mirror.  Today, I will reflect back what you said by the cliff and the meadow earlier."

Kai waved his hand in the water and stood up next to his teacher.  His passion was getting the most of him.  "I still do not understand what you are trying to say.  Speak plainly to me today!"

Kai helped his Master sit down by the tree.  It seemed like yesterday that this great teacher stood in front of thousands and could talk for hours and even days without rest.

"Please know I love you like the son I never had.  What I must say will hurt but it must be said for it is Truth.  I will attempt to be as tactful as possible.  Please understand there will come many moments in life where words will fail you like I am sure they will fail me during the next moment."

"I sense your love and appreciate your difficulty in saying what you are about to say," said Kai.  "Now please tell me what you wish to tell me."

Lessons of the Price

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

Lessons of the Price

The Master continued, "I imagined myself as one of your students when you were speaking earlier.  I was initially impressed by how you spoke.  However, as I thought of what you were saying, I realized I heard more about fear, requirements, and punishment that I heard about God.  You were wise in seeing past the differences between the numerous religions but everything you said, regardless of the religion, came at a price.  Without realizing it, your words were teaching that God's love for us comes at a price."

"At a price?" questioned Kai with a surprised look on his face.

"Yes, at a price," repeated his Master.  "Though you have understood it does not matter which religion, if any, one uses in order to connect the Father within our hearts, your words suggest every religion has its price.  All religions have a piece of the Truth but realize that all of the religions in the entire Universe can still not capture the essence of the One Father of the Universe.

"The various rules, regulations, and requirements are the price men have created to attain the Father's love; realize these are rules created by men and not by God.  All things from the Father are free.  Anything that hints, smells, or implies price is based on fear not love.  The Father is Love and He gives us this love for free not expecting anything in return.  His love for us is unconditional, endless, and eternal.  Endeavor to spread love into the world freely as the Father spreads love.  Learn to give like the Father gives:  freely.  If you are giving to the world because you are expecting approval, recognition, fame, or fortune, you are spreading fear and not love.  You are giving at a price."

Kai did not know what to say.  His teacher's words seemed to have tied his tongue in a knot.  After a few seconds, Kai shot back, "Without rules and regulations there would be chaos in the world.  Every religion has set up various requirements to help govern its people.  Are you saying each religion can have their followers do as they wish?  Is this what you are sayong?"

"No, of course not," laughed his Master.  "Humans like other creations in the Universe, need various rules, laws, and codes of ethics to align them to live a good life.  What I am saying is these rules are more for conduct and not the price for God's love.  The Father's love comes freely.  Teach your students to cherish their religion.  Teach them that regardless of which one it is, to follow its rules as best as possible.  Help your students understand that even though a rule or all the rules are broken, the Father of the Universe still loves them as if they had never broken any of the rules."

 Kai got up and paced by the lake.  He grabbed a rock and skipped it off the surface of the water and then turned to his Master.  "How can this be?  God will punish those that break His rules.  This is not only true of my religion but many other religions as well.  Each religion has its Prophet, its Great Book, and its Prayers and Meditations.  Are you telling me that all of these people won't be punished if the rules are interpreted by each religion's teachings are not followed?"

His Master stood up.  His movement was quick and agile.  Then, with crimson fire in his eyes, the Master said, "The Father Within is Divine Love.  The Divine Love that created all things in the Universe.  The Father does not punish, men punish.  This is what I am telling you.  All God does is love us.  He allows the brigh sun to shin on the sinner as well as the saint.  In truth, there are  no sinners or saints.  In the Eyes of the Father, all of us are His Children and He loves each of us endlessly and equally without price."

"But Master, what about the lost ones with sin and break God's rules?"

"The Father loves all of us equally no matter what the mistakes we made.  What many religions call sins, the Father sees as mistakes His Children are making during their growth.  He loves us unconditionally and has given us the freedom to make mistakes.  Being a teacher yourself, you know a student can learn and grow much from his mistakes.  All of us are always learning.  This is true in all parts of the Universe.  I know this is dificult for you to understand because you cherish your religion, as others cherish theirs, but let me give an example."

"Please do, great teacher," said Kaii as he released the air in his lungs as if he had been holding his breath for an hour.  "For today, you are either opening my eyes to a new way of thinking or you are confusing me like before."

Kai sat back down by the tree.

""Your Prophet Luma once said, "Heal those that harm you," did he not?"

"Yes, this wonderful lesson is written in our Great Book.  It is Luma's greatest lesson," Kai replied confidently feeling once again he understood something.

"It is written that as a followerof Luma, one should not cut down a tree for any reason.  Is this also not true?"

"Yes," replied Kai.  "Luma liberated our people from the wilderness and wrote His Laws in a tree just outside our capital city.  One is not allowed to cut down a tree because they are children of Mother Nature."

"Wonderful," said the Master.  "Luma was a true manifestation of the Eternal.  Is this not what your religion calls God?"

"Yes," replied Kai.

 "Then what do you think Luma would say about a group of devoted Lumarians that became lost while traveling to your religion's Holy City if they cut down a tree and built a fire to avoid freezing in a wintry snow storm?"

Kai knew immediately where his Master was going.  This old man had a frail body but his mind was as clear as the lake in the mountains.

"Are you going to draw me into one of your philosophical discussions about morality?"  asked Kai?

"No," said his Master.  "I am curious to hear what you think Luma would say about the question I pose."

 "Luma would say to cut down a tree so his followers might live."

"But is it not death for one to cut down a tree according to the laws of your religion?"

 Kai debated this wise old man all his life but after what his Master said about God loving freely, he was not quite certain what to say.  "To be honest, I don't know what Luma would say."

"Yes you do!" shouted the Master.  "Open your heart not your mind!  Luma is a manifestation of the Father of the Universe.  The Father of the Universe is Divine Love.  Luma would have helped the people cut the trees himself because Luma, like the Father he represents, is an expression of love.