Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Buy the truth and sell it not; also wisdom and instruction, and understanding (Proverbs 12:23).

…You will never demonstrate or progress on mere theories that you have not put to the test. You will never demonstrate or grow spiritually on what is in a textbook or a lecture until you have begun to put such knowledge into practice. It is far better to have a thimble of spiritual knowledge and use it than to have a whole mountain of correct spiritual doctrine most of which you have never made work.

From: Around the Year

With Emmet Fox, p. 350

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    A friend was being proselytized by a religious fanatic when he tried to give the preacher pause by saying, “I want to believe in the religion God believes in.”

    The preacher answered, asserting in all honesty the finality of his faith, “God is a Catholic.” 

    I wonder what this guy thinks God believed in before there ever was a Catholic, a Buddhist, Lutheran, or any other religion invented or contrived by us.

   The first thing that comes to mind for most of us, when we are asked about faith, we will almost instinctively answer with which Faith we belong to; Catholic, Lutheran, Buddhist and so on. Or, if we aren’t religious, we might try to explain the philosophy we adhere to… existentialism, Communism, or Laissez Faire capitalism, but for me, faith is an action I take and not a theory or doctrine. 

   A practical faith is that which I have found useful. It does take a leap of faith at first, but soon after I find something that works, the nature of my faith evolves into trust. Where faith fails me is where I find I can no longer trust what I acted on in the past. What has worked in the past may not work for me now. If I am not willing to allow my faith to grow, I will sink into a set of beliefs that have no actual meaning in my daily affairs or how I act. I.e., walking into a cathedral might inspire and lift my spirit enough to evoke some peace and calm in my heart. But, if that is as far as I go, my faith will dissolve and this experience will become routine and stagnant.

   Meditation is like that too. At first I sat thinking that peace and calm was all there was to it until I put into practice the teachings and was willing to try them out in a practical context. When I treat others as I would like to be treated I am at first amazed at how well it works. But even this is only a doorstep to a higher consciousness and I rob myself if I don’t enter the door that step leads to. 
   After all, I'm just knockin' on Heaven's door.

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