January 24: Day 24

STEP FOUR CONTINUED
 
Accept that this Higher Power is understood in different ways and by different names in various religions and cultures, and open our lives to hearing the Divine Voice in any way it chooses to communicate to us.
                                                                                                         
Instruction: Open to new possibilities.

Imagine an alien spaceship landing on a spot of earth where four nations come together. Imagine each nation claiming ownership of one fourth of the spaceship. Also imagine that each nation refuses to allow the other nations to examine their portion of the spaceship. One year after studying the spaceship, each nation produces a report as to what a spaceship is and how it works. Each nation claims to have all the mysteries solved, but how can their individual reports be accurate if they didn’t have the full picture? How can they know things about the vessel if they didn’t share their experiences?

Suppose there is a divinity that encompasses the universe and has decided to make its presence known to mankind. Would that divinity decide to reveal itself to only one nation? It seems to make more sense that The Divine would reveal itself to anyone and everyone who wanted to connect with the world beyond the world, the beginning and end of life itself — if, in fact, there is an end. When religions tell us that their way is the only way, doesn’t it remind us of the nations that claimed their report of the spaceship was the “right” report and the other nations were wrong. To me, it makes more sense to share our religious experiences, and instead of denouncing other paths to The Divine, open up to new possibilities of how The Divine has been revealed through a variety of religions, cultures, and experiences.

Today’s Assignment is to open to the possibility that other religions might have a part of the bigger picture of who The Divine is. For some, that realization could mean that they will at least consider discarding their old belief that their way is the only way. That is a huge step, and some might not be ready, able, or willing to go that far. We honor that decision for them and simply ask that they honor the decision that each individual makes for his or her self. Some may agree with them; some may not.