An Empathic Spirit of Kindness

Apply this to any weakness (temptation) you may have.

Your Temptation was in My Flesh

Knowledge of Word tells us of Paul, a man who was teaching others about Word. He literally said to one group (church), “Your temptation [was] in my flesh. You did not despise me nor reject me contemptuously, but you received me as an angel [conveyance] of God [Name], as Christ Jesus [Word].” Since they were struggling with temptation and Paul was teaching them how to be set free from it, it would have been quite understandable had they despised and rejected Paul as a hypocrite for having their temptation rise up in his body. But they did the exact opposite in receiving him as a conveyance of Name, as Word.

Paul demonstrated how Word enabled him to bear in his body, without being tempted, what tempted them in their bodies. In addition, he explained to them that it was Word who opened their eyes to understand this. Paul said, “Being free from all [things], I myself become a servant to all that I may gain the more [for Word to free also].” First, we will address Paul’s role in this, and second, what those who saw it understood about it at first and later.

Like David and John, Paul knew how to envision. He said to another group, “From now on, see no one according to flesh, even though we have known Christ [Word] according to flesh, yet now, we no longer know [him this way].” Envisioning Word in them correctly, Paul was like Word, hence they received him “as Word”, as one who was conveying Name in Word in himself. But they could not see beyond Paul’s physical attributes on their own, hence their own attributes enslaved them to temptation.

Word freed them from the temporary corruption of their spirit to see Paul’s empathic spirit of kindness. He became their servant and bore their struggles to gain them for Word to free them. But they chose not to learn the principle, so they returned to seeing with their corrupted spirit. For later, he said to them, “Where then is your blessing? I bear witness to you that, if possible, you would have plucked your eyes out and given [them] to me. Have I, therefore, become your enemy by speaking truthfully to you?”

First, they saw their own temptation in his body and understood that he was not tempted. But later, they just saw temptation in his body and believed that he was being tempted, judging him by appearance, unable to see him spiritually. By misreading his reactions, they reacted from their blindness. In their state of mind, although everything Paul said to them worked against their blindness to free them, they felt it as an attack and saw him as the enemy.

As you learn about envisioning, recognize temptation in your body from others, that which you did not choose, and whether it is really tempting you, by envisioning Word in others. Understand why others may believe you are being tempted, appearing to want to play it out. Otherwise, you may feel like your own worst enemy when, in fact, your ability to understand agapé in the permeations of your spirit is improving. Whether as believers or non-believers in Word, we need to understand how weaknesses in our bodies drive us to judge others as enemies of conscience (suneidesis)¹ instead of loving them.

Deceiving Ourselves

Paul said to fulfill the law of Word, the principle, and bear one another’s burdens, “for if anyone thinks they are something [above anyone else], when they are nothing [above anyone and should make all others more important according to the principle], they deceive themselves.” Making each other more important exists without difficulty between believers and non-believers when we practice the principle as fellow Democrats or fellow Republicans. But in the fulfillment of the times of the nations, we need to go all the way to see that weaknesses in our bodies make us weak in our groups, judging others to protect our group.

Crossing Over

Therefore, the bridge over our national conscience supports all who cross over. It is held up by those of us able to bear the burdens of those of us with weaknesses, who as Democrats would otherwise judge Republicans or as Republicans judge Democrats. For on this bridge, time does not exist in the world conscience, so memory cannot be used to hate. The now of Word supersedes the blind and shows them envisioning Word in each other. Those who bear their burdens are the arches of our bridge, fulfilling the principle and loving the least among us. Envisioning Word in everyone, they seek to win the heart of Name.

Suggested articles:

Spirituality and Democracy 3

The Eyes of Democracy (Introduction and Index of Articles)

1. Suneidesis is pronounced soon-eye-day-sis. After reading the link explaining it, you will see how central it is to this teaching. Using this foreign word regularly in discussions helps us get accustomed to experiencing something new and positive in our awareness. When the word conscience is used, it will refer to the aspect of suneidesis that involves right and wrong, but this aspect cannot be separated from our co-conscientious awareness of all things.

If I understand that my awareness of something as simple as a cup includes co-conscientiousness, I do not allow myself to get blinded by the cup alone but know it as part of all creation at the hands of the Creator or the universe, depending on one’s beliefs. Spiritual maturity does this naturally.