Unity Church of Castro Valley
Sunday Message for May 9, 2010
LOVING USE OF OUR POWER
What we want to learn and practice this week is to use our power as shared power rather than power over others.a
WE ARE ALL HERE AS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
We are all here as students and teachers. The old rock song by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young says, b"Teach your children well." It also says, "Teach your parents well." Our children come not just to learn from us, but also to be our teachers. We learn much from having and being with our children and our parents. They often can see through us, be honest with us, and cause us to grow. Some of the hardest and most important lessons we learn are found in our families. And yet, I believe that before we come to this world, we pick the parents and the situation we want to come into so that we may develop and grow.
PARENTS & CHILDREN
Of parents & children, Myrtle Fillmore writes in the book How To Let God Help You: c"It is truly wonderful to have children and to be truly awake in caring for them, that they may grow up in health and poise and assurance that they are God's and that all things needful come through them and to them. Parents are but representing the divine Father-Mother in receiving and caring for these new body temples which souls are building for experiences and further development of the God-given faculties and powers. Remembering this takes away the sense of anxiety and burden, and gives great peace and joy and consciousness of power and love and prosperity."
THE DISCIPLE PHILIP REPRESENTS THE FACULTY OF POWER
The disciple Philip represents the faculty of Power. Suné Richards, who was a wonderful mother and Unity minister, writes: "Because he knew the Greek language so well, Philip was called 'the Greek,' but he was 'of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter,' and he lived in Galilee as they did. Philip, a powerful and vital man, was among the first to join the little band of men as a chosen disciple of Jesus. He brought Nathanael, or Bartholomew, to Jesus.
Philip, using the power of the Word, as he and the other disciples were empowered to do in his name, healed the sick and cast out 'unclean spirits.' His difficulty in understanding the spiritual meaning of Jesus' message at times, did not seem to hinder his wonderful power to cure the lame and the paralyzed in this way."
HOW WE CAN USE OUR POWER FACULTY RIGHTLY?
How can we use our power faculty rightly? To speak constructively, to heal the sick, to release others and ourselves from fears, misconceptions, power struggles?
God created us and gave us free will - the power of choice. So we can waste or misuse our power capacity - or - we can use it rightly (righteously).
You are misusing your power if you are trying to oppress or control others. Oh yes, and a lot of will say - "Oh, I'd never do that!" But think about it, haven't you tried to control people in your life? If we want to turn that around and use our power righteously then we should be using our power to heal, to unite, or to create good.
You are wasting your power if you are trying to get to be a big shot, top dog, or "important" person. You see, I am the Senior Minister of this church. But!!! In truth, I am NO kind of a minister if I don't recognize that I am only here to serve and to be a vessel for God to use. The right use of our power is in holding ideals of true service, inner confidence and self-respect
You see it is only from a feeling of inferiority that we try to act superior and put others down to build ourselves up. If I am constantly bragging and need to be the center of attention - then I need to look to see whether I believe that my "goodness" depends on your "badness."
If we are using our power in a life affirming way then we will feel different in some ways from others, but not better or worse than them. We will enjoy our diversity, being like the ingredients of a tossed salad - enjoying and affirming others and ourselves.
Don't go on 'power trips,' go on 'peace trips.' When you go on power trips and play power games, it is like little kids saying; "My daddy's bigger than your daddy" or "My company is bigger than your company." Don't engage in power struggles or confrontations. This just sets up win-lose situations. When you learn to use your power rightly you will have the self confidence to behave with humility and mutual respect and you won't have to prove how big your daddy is or how powerful you are. You will encourage power sharing and negotiations. You will set up win-win situations.
Another misuse of power is trying to catch others in their mistakes or weak moments and lording it over them, "Hah, now I've got you." The metaphysical version of this is to catch someone with a cold or the flu and saying, "Well, and where is your consciousness. If you were thinking right you wouldn't be sick." But if we are living in our truth we will have a redemptive spirit rather than gloating over others' mistakes.
We waste or misuse our power capacity by being authoritarian, by thinking that might makes right. You are not living in God's Power if you feel the need to always be right or if you are unable to admit a mistake or own a problem. This is just living in denial. Because the truth is that right makes might. Our authority comes from our "spirit of power"; using power for growth, not denial; admitting faults and learning from the lessons in our lives.
We don't need to try to take all the credit and honor for ourselves. True power comes with sharing credit and especially in recognizing others.
When you are living in your God-given Power you develop a new language in relationships. Instead of yelling at your kids, "You kids made a mess of the kitchen, again. You're going to get it now!" - you instead can say, "The way you've left this kitchen doesn't work for me. Let's talk to see what we can all do to keep it in better shape."
And when you empower your kids to live in their God-given Power they will move from yelling, "I can't talk to you! You don't care and don't want to understand! I'll do whatever I want" to instead saying "It's hard to talk about what's going on, and I want to share my feelings and problems with you as my parents"
The language of true Power is a gentle loving language that honors all present. It's a language that our world needs to learn.
I would like to read to you a story that touched my heart with the gentle Power of a Mother. The story is called Geraniums of Love and was written by Harriet Xanthakos. She writes:
As the fifth of seven children, I went to the same public school as my three older sisters and brother. Every year, my mother went to the same pageant and had parent/child interviews with the same teachers. The only thing different was the child. And every child participated in an old school tradition - the annual plant sale held in early May, just in time for Mother's Day.
Third grade was the first time that I was allowed to take part in the plant sale. I wanted to surprise my mother, but I didn't have any money. I went to my oldest sister and shared the secret, and she gave me some money. When I arrived at the plant sale, I carefully made my selection. I agonized over that decision, inspecting each plant to ensure that I had indeed found the best geranium. Once I had smuggled it home, with the help of my sister, I hid it on the upstairs neighbor's porch. I was very afraid my mother would find it before Mother's Day, but my sister assured me that she wouldn't, and indeed she did not.
When Mother's Day arrived, I was bursting with pride when I gave her that geranium. I remember how bright her eyes were, and how delighted she was with my gift.
The year I was fifteen, my younger sister reached third grade. In early May she came to me full of wonder and secrecy and told me that there was going to be a plant sale at school, and she wanted to surprise our mother. Like my older sister did for me, I gave her some money and off she went. She arrived home full of nervous excitement, the geranium hidden in a paper bag under her sweater. "I looked at every plant," she explained, "and I know I got the best one!"
With a sweet sense of déjà vu, I helped my little sister hide that geranium on the upstairs neighbor's porch, assuring her that our mother would not find it before Mother's Day. I was there when she gave my mother the geranium, and I watched them both bursting with pride and delight. It was like being in a dream I had already dreamed. My mother noticed me watching, and she gave me a soft, secret smile. With a tug at my heart, I smiled back. I had been wondering how my mother could pretend to be surprised at this gift from her sixth child, but as I watched her eyes light up with delight as she was presented with that most precious gift, I knew she was not pretending.
IN MEMORY & IN HONOR OF:
So that was Harriet's tribute to her Mother and the influence she had on her and her life. Now I would like to pay tribute to the women we know. I have been sent the names of many women that I would like to acknowledge.
(Mother's Day Flower Service)
I'd like to close with a poem called A Perfect Match by Patrick Lynch that as far as I know wasn't written for Mother's Day - but I couldn't help but think of Mothers everywhere as I read it:
You say my strength
gives you courage.
But it's your courage
from which I draw my strength.
You say my smile
brings you happiness.
But it's your happiness
that makes me smile.
You say my faith
fuels your devotion.
But it's your devotion
which feeds my faith.
You say my energy
lifts your spirit.
But it's your spirit
that gives me energy.
You say my love
touches your heart.
But it's because of your heart
that I am filled with love.
I.
a David & Gay Lynn Williamson and Robert Knapp Twelve Powers In You
b Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Teach Your Children Well 1970
c Myrtle Fillmore How To Let God Help You
--------------------
