I have a special friend who would not consider, even for a moment, carrying a replica (knockoff) of a branded purse. I have come to appreciate the view expressed. The quality is different. The feel when one holds it changes. Most of all, one knows it is not the real thing. There are days when I wake up with the awareness that so many have settled for a replica of Divinity. They could have the authentic, yet for reasons I do not fully understand, they choose the knockoff.
To be clear, this is not a commentary on any specific faith system or institution. The observation is simpler and more direct.
The authentic Divinity I know is relentlessly kind, compassionate, and loving. There are no ifs, ands, or buts. Divinity embraces every individual where s/he is. This includes their state of being, ways of loving and being loved, and views of life, relationships, and even Divinity herself. There are no conditions to kindness. There are no barriers to compassion. We, every human being, are loved because we are Divinity’s child.
Divinity is tangible. There is a lot more to Divinity than just ideas. There is the beauty and wonder found in a sunrise and a blossoming flower. There is the miracle of one individually unconditionally forgiving another. There is an unexplainable sense of hope that is created with each loving embrace. Divinity is more than an idea. She is an experience that lives within us.
Not every institution or individual that claims to represent Divinity does. Sometimes it is intentional, and often, it is simply human. I find it helpful to remember the old warning; “Don’t suppose for a moment, though, that God’s Word has malfunctioned in some way or other. The problem goes back a long way. From the outset, not all Israelites of the flesh were Israelites of the spirit.” (Romans 9.6)
Individuals and communities carry a thirst for the Divine. I hear an open invitation to be Divinity’s voice, hands, and ears on the path today. It is a calling worthy of the gods.
