10.27.24 "I Thought I Knew / But I Was Wrong"

Turning to the Holy Spirit for guidance in all things is fundamental in ACIM practice, and thus it is fundamental for healing. Trusting in our isolated self, which of course is the ego, will not bring healing. ACIM spends quite a bit of time and energy working to get us to see how flawed the guidance from the ego is. "Remember how many times you thought you knew all the 'facts' you needed for judgment, and how wrong you were! Is there anyone who has not had this experience? Would you know how many times you merely thought you were right, without ever realizing you were wrong?" (OrEd.Mn.10.4) There are two questions embedded into this passage. First, Jesus is asking us to admit we have had the experience, probably many times, of thinking we knew all we needed to know about an issue in order to make a decision. We later found out there was more to know, and different interpretations of things to appreciate, and now seeing things with this new information we understand we made the WRONG decision. "Yes" I have had those experiences. I am sure we all have.

Then Jesus wants us to appreciate that there were many times we never realized the new information, we never saw the different interpretation, so we never knew we made the wrong decision. We still think we were right, but we were not. Okay. I can embrace that. I am sure that is true. So why trust our own limited ability to judge any situation? No good reason. "In order to judge anything rightly, one would have to be fully aware of an inconceivably wide range of things, past, present, and to come. One would have to recognize in advance all the effects of his judgments on everyone and everything involved in them in any way. ... Who is in a position to do this? Who except in grandiose fantasies would claim this for himself?" (OrEd.Mn.10.3) Let us determine not to be led by grandiose fantasies of our own ego judgement today. Let us pledge to use our connection to the Divine, the Holy Spirit, in all decisions. "In everything be led by Him and do not reconsider." (OrEd.Tx.13.81) When we do this our healing will be automatic.

We are in the midst of a dramatic and contentious election cycle in the USA. Most people think they know everything they need to know in order to make the right decision for themselves (and thus for the country). However a few of other times I now see I made the wrong decision were in previous presidential elections. I thought I knew, but I didn't have all the information, nor had I appreciated all the different interpretations of things. Knowing what I know now, and seeing these different interpretations, I definitely would have made different choices.

In order to be a force for peace and oneness I believe it is important to appreciate all points of view, and to admit to ourselves that we could quite possibly be wrong. "Do you prefer that you be right or happy?" (OrEd.Tx.29.43) This doesn't necessarily mean we have to change our current viewpoints. What it means is that we have to retain an open mind. Open-mindedness is listed in the Manual as the last characteristic that the advanced teacher of God acquires. The current political climate gives us a unique opportunity to strengthen the quality of open-mindedness in ourselves. It takes determination, but we can do it. We have to at least be willing to be wrong. "Having decided that you do not like the way you feel, what could be easier than to continue with, – And so I hope I have been wrong." (OrEd.Tx.30.18-19) A rigid tree breaks with in strong wind. The flexible one bends and doesn't break. Being open-minded is being flexible. We can stop putting off being an advanced teacher of God into the distant future, and practice being open-minded right now. That's what I am doing. Join me.

32 min.
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