Changes

Evelyn: I notice you use the word "soul". You don't say "persons" so much as "souls". The difference I think is seeing another as timeless, eternal, not just a face, just this life, and being of equal value to oneself. How do I apply this in my encounters? I often feel I'm invested in too few other souls. This is a vivid image and a useful model, comparing to economic situations.

Evelyn: I notice you use the word "soul". You don't say "persons" so much as "souls". The difference I think is seeing another as timeless, eternal, not just a face, just this life, and being of equal value to oneself. How do I apply this in my encounters? I often feel I'm invested in too few other souls. This is a vivid image and a useful model, comparing to economic situations.

Elyon: I have chosen "soul" in this instance because of its correlation to this model. Anyone can have a business, but what makes that business valuable is its net worth. Every personality is in a sense its own business. It is your soul that is your net worth. As you value one another -- it is a given that you are personalities -- it is your net worth, the development of your soul, its expansion and growth, that makes you a rich personality. This is why I chose to emphasize the soul element of your being.

Elyon: I have chosen "soul" in this instance because of its correlation to this [[model]]. Anyone can have a business, but what makes that business valuable is its net worth. Every [[personality]] is in a sense its own business. It is your soul that is your net worth. As you value one another -- it is a given that you are personalities -- it is your net worth, the development of your soul, its expansion and growth, that makes you a rich personality. This is why I chose to emphasize the soul element of your being.

Tom: In a material economy you have to scrimp and save just to invest. In the spiritual economy all the Father has is yours for the asking. Michael said we are the salt of the earth which serves in being spent. All you have is what you give away. What comes to mind is the real measure of a man's wealth is how much he would be worth if he lost all his money. It places more value on the spiritual side. We are so used to the physical economy that we aren't aware of the true wealth everywhere.

Tom: In a material economy you have to scrimp and save just to invest. In the spiritual economy all the Father has is yours for the asking. Michael said we are the salt of the earth which serves in being spent. All you have is what you give away. What comes to mind is the real measure of a man's wealth is how much he would be worth if he lost all his money. It places more value on the spiritual side. We are so used to the physical economy that we aren't aware of the true [[wealth]] everywhere.

Elyon: Yes, and your observations are good, for not always do material comparisons equate across the board to spiritual principles. As you have indicated they are at times inverse. For a man may hoard wealth and be empty in soul, and another may abhor wealth and be rich in soul. While this may be true, to abhor wealth will not make you rich in soul, for you must put your energy into soul growth, wealth or not as the economy of your current times has revealed to many who have invested and grew relatively rich only to watch it evaporate as the economy shifted. The spiritual man knows when to shift his assets. Should a country that you perhaps are living in go antagonistic toward religion, the sage knows when to shift his assets to protect his spiritual wealth. An investor who has ten dollars knows that by spending that ten he may gain to twenty, and this is true with spiritual enlightenment. If you have reached a degree of illumination and you give it to another, the other has your initial investment when received, and you double your return. Michael said, "Go forth into the world and proclaim the gospel." He did not say scrape and hoard what you can gather and hide that you may not lose your wealth. As I said early on that the economy must not be stagnant, the spiritual economy is the same. Always will you benefit from giving out, giving away, for the truth that it is blessed to give is followed by the corollary that as you give so do you receive.

Elyon: Yes, and your observations are good, for not always do [[material]] comparisons equate across the board to spiritual principles. As you have indicated they are at times inverse. For a man may hoard wealth and be empty in soul, and another may abhor wealth and be rich in soul. While this may be true, to abhor wealth will not make you rich in soul, for you must put your [[energy]] into [[soul]] growth, wealth or not as the economy of your current times has revealed to many who have invested and grew [[relative]]ly rich only to watch it evaporate as the economy shifted. The spiritual man knows when to shift his assets. Should a country that you perhaps are living in go antagonistic toward [[religion]], the sage knows when to shift his assets to protect his spiritual wealth. An investor who has ten dollars knows that by spending that ten he may gain to twenty, and this is true with spiritual enlightenment. If you have reached a degree of [[illumination]] and you give it to another, the other has your initial investment when received, and you double your return. Michael said, "Go forth into the world and proclaim the gospel." He did not say scrape and hoard what you can gather and hide that you may not lose your wealth. As I said early on that the economy must not be stagnant, the spiritual economy is the same. Always will you benefit from giving out, giving away, for the [[truth]] that it is blessed to give is followed by the corollary that as you give so do you receive.

Kirk: My daughter is in a dilemma now about moving. She's a spiritual person and could use some words, if it's appropriate.

Kirk: My daughter is in a [[dilemma]] now about moving. She's a spiritual person and could use some [[words]], if it's appropriate.

Elyon: Could you describe some of this dilemma?

Elyon: Could you describe some of this dilemma?

Kirk: She wants to move and feels it would be spiritual, but she's raising a family where she is, and she is responsible for her mother. The dilemma is whether to do it or not. She's been praying a lot about it. She's always looking for new spiritual ideas. If I could show her words coming from what we receive, maybe it would help.

Kirk: She wants to move and feels it would be spiritual, but she's raising a [[family]] where she is, and she is responsible for her mother. The dilemma is whether to do it or not. She's been praying a lot about it. She's always looking for new spiritual [[ideas]]. If I could show her words coming from what we receive, maybe it would help.

Elyon: This move you speak of is one on a spiritual level or a physical displacement of...?

Elyon: This move you speak of is one on a spiritual level or a physical displacement of...?

Kirk: Both.

Kirk: Both.

Elyon: I will begin by reminding you of the presentation in your Urantia Book of the early adult life of Jesus and his parallel goals of serving the Father and ministering to this planet while bestowed here, and this second of raising his earthly family subsequent to his earth father's death and providing such that the brothers and sisters and his mother would be well off and ready and able to meet the demands of life when he moved on. While his life may be seen as unique compared to all other human lives, he lived according to the manner that all humans do, and that is the balancing act between the spiritual aspirations of an individual and the responsibilities of a family. Jesus longed to have his earthly family settle down on a nice farm. That dream of his never fully manifested. However, he worked steadily toward that goal and adjusted according to the events that took place as the years went by. I encourage your daughter to pursue her dream, to treat the events of life that come her way each day not as obstacles or hindrances but challenges, as sources for revelation wherein she may refine her ideal and develop a clearer avenue through which she may move. These conditions will at times appear to hinder and at other times advance her desires. She may be required to redefine her goal that it may be realized in this lifetime in a different way. All personal spiritual advancement can be made regardless of the conditions of life, but the depth and richness of that advancement are greatly enhanced when confronted by the situations of life, people and places. The desire to grow spiritually is the primary, most important element to any being. The presence of God within is ever drawing the creature towards the Creator.

Elyon: I will begin by reminding you of the presentation in your [[Urantia Book]] of the early adult life of Jesus and his parallel goals of serving the Father and ministering to this [[planet]] while bestowed here, and this second of raising his earthly family subsequent to his earth father's death and providing such that the brothers and sisters and his mother would be well off and ready and able to meet the demands of life when he moved on. While his life may be seen as [[unique]] compared to all other human lives, he lived according to the [[manner]] that all humans do, and that is the balancing act between the spiritual aspirations of an individual and the responsibilities of a family. Jesus longed to have his earthly family settle down on a nice farm. That [[dream]] of his never fully manifested. However, he worked steadily toward that goal and adjusted according to the events that took place as the years went by. I encourage your daughter to pursue her dream, to treat the events of life that come her way each day not as obstacles or hindrances but challenges, as sources for [[revelation]] wherein she may refine her [[ideal]] and develop a clearer avenue through which she may move. These conditions will at times appear to hinder and at other times advance her desires. She may be required to redefine her goal that it may be realized in this lifetime in a different way. All personal spiritual advancement can be made regardless of the conditions of life, but the depth and richness of that advancement are greatly enhanced when confronted by the situations of life, people and places. The desire to grow spiritually is the primary, most important element to any [[being]]. The [[presence]] of God within is ever drawing the [[creature]] towards the [[Creator]].

This lure, this attraction, is translated into your material life. This feeling of moving, the desire to grow, can be superimposed over your physical location and create the desire to move in a physical sense. Quiet reflection and spiritual stillness will clarify whether there is confusion regarding the impulse to move, that a spiritual desire to move is translated into a physical desire to move, or whether changing your location will promote your spiritual life. Recall again the story of Jesus when he left his family and moved to Capernaum. He advanced his subsequent ministry, for he deeply developed his relationship with two soon-to-be apostles. Yet his move did not cripple his family, for it created the conditions in their lives wherein they began to take up the roles that he fulfilled. His move aided his ministry in the years that followed, and his move improved the personality traits, skills, and talents of his brothers and sisters. I offer the advice of prayerful reflection and the application of patience and the encouragement to discern carefully between deep longings in her soul and a wishfulness that may result from a desire for ease, for comfort, that may help in the short term and hinder in the long term. This is an observation that she must make on her own in partnership with the divine presence. I would not however ask her to avoid counsel, for that too clarifies to the human mind in a tangible sense what may be the proper orientation of values and her steps in the process of realizing her longings. I hope this will contribute.

This lure, this attraction, is translated into your material life. This feeling of moving, the desire to grow, can be superimposed over your physical location and create the desire to move in a physical sense. Quiet [[reflection]] and spiritual [[stillness]] will clarify whether there is confusion regarding the impulse to move, that a spiritual desire to move is [[translation|translated]] into a physical desire to move, or whether changing your location will promote your spiritual life. Recall again the story of Jesus when he left his family and moved to Capernaum. He advanced his subsequent ministry, for he deeply developed his relationship with two soon-to-be [[apostles]]. Yet his move did not cripple his family, for it created the conditions in their lives wherein they began to take up the roles that he fulfilled. His move aided his ministry in the years that followed, and his move improved the personality traits, skills, and talents of his brothers and sisters. I offer the advice of prayerful reflection and the application of patience and the encouragement to discern carefully between deep longings in her soul and a wishfulness that may result from a desire for ease, for comfort, that may help in the short term and hinder in the long term. This is an observation that she must make on her own in partnership with the [[divine]] presence. I would not however ask her to avoid counsel, for that too clarifies to the human [[mind]] in a tangible sense what may be the proper orientation of values and her steps in the [[process]] of realizing her longings. I hope this will contribute.

Kirk: Thank you, Elyon. Inspirational words. Thank you, my friend.

Kirk: Thank you, Elyon. Inspirational words. Thank you, my friend.