September 20: Day 82

STEP TWELVE CONTINUED: Having recognized the difference between religion and spirituality, we strive to be true to the Spirit within all of Divine Creation and to be a Light to point the way.
 
Instruction: Welcome the Light.

Fire was the first introduction of a light source other than the sun, moon, or stars, and unless the fire was large, the glow from the fire would be somewhat dim and often of a reddish hue. Candles gave us a better glow and a whiter hue, but not until the light bulb came along did we discover a bright white that looked more like daylight. With the introduction of LED light bulbs, the whiteness compares favorably to that of the light of day. Our image of The Divine has also changed over the centuries. I believe some early concepts of divinity were dim and somewhat colorless. Portraying God or gods as vengeful, jealous, and prone to many human frailties seems a lot like man’s struggle to find the light. Surely, over the centuries, our concept of The Divine has evolved much the way our ability to bring light into our world has evolved.
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I welcomed the coming of improved light bulbs. The incandescent bulb worked well, was inexpensive, and provided plenty of light, but they burned out frequently, got hot, and used a lot of energy. I welcomed the CFL light bulbs with their squirrelly, twisted looks, because they lasted longer and used less energy, but when the LED light bulbs came on to the market, I was immediately drawn to them. Less heat, longer life, simpler look, and I felt the light was brighter and more like daylight. The biggest negative in my estimation was the higher cost. The point is that when better light comes along, we welcome it. In Step Twelve, we talk about being a Light to point the way, and in order to be the best Light that we can be, we welcome new ways of understanding The Divine that help to illuminate our concepts, perceptions, and appreciation for our Higher Power. Much of what we talk about in the Religious Recovery program is our ability to grow spiritually by opening to wisdom from a variety of sources and by accepting Light in whatever shape or form it chooses to present Itself to us.

Consider today how our image of The Divine has changed? Do we have a better image of what The Divine is, what The Divine wants, and how combining our understanding of divinity with other people’s understanding can enhance and enlarge our hearts and our world?