Saturday, May 27, 2017
JUST BEING ME
Just Being Me!
By
Francis William Bessler
Laramie, Wyoming
5/27/2017
I have long believed that our biggest problem in living life is that we do not trust ourselves - and in not trusting ourselves, we do not allow for others to trust in us either. Does that make sense? I do believe that one must trust his or herself first before going further with that wonderful thing called "trust." If I do not believe in myself first, why should I expect you to believe in me? And I am not talking about asking you to believe in me because I first believed in someone else - like a Jesus - either. I am talking "imitating Jesus," however, in the sense that Jesus believed in himself as being wise and innocent on his own before asking others to join him in that mission, so to speak, and believe in themselves.
In THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS, Jesus said in a Verse 39 (of 114), "become wise as serpents and innocent as doves." I am not sure why he considered a serpent as wise or a dove as innocent, but the meaning is quite clear, I think. The meaning is that I can become wise on my own and be innocent on my own - or become wise as I think another is wise or innocent as I think another is. For Jesus, wisdom was reflected in a serpent and innocence was reflected in a dove. Accordingly, he said "become wise as serpents and innocent as doves," but he was only saying that each of us can become wise and each of us can become innocent - and this is the great caveat: without him - on our own.
That is only to say that each of us has it within ourselves to find the wisdom we need and the innocence we need to live lives of fulfillment. Jesus lived a live of fulfillment because he was "wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove," but contrary to traditional Jesus doctrine, he did not intend to tell others that they could become wise and innocent if they became disciples of his - but rather if they became wise and innocent, they could become disciples of his. That is to say that to imitate him - and that is what he wanted - they had to first become wise and innocent on their own, though perhaps with his guidance. Then they could know him simply because "it takes one to know one." Right?
Was Peter "wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove"? Was John "wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove"? Ah, but should it matter to me about Peter or John or anyone else? It should only matter to me that I am "wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove." Right? Am I? Well, let's just say - I try to be; and in that, I think I am ahead of a lot of others who think they know Jesus but fail to imitate him. But if I am wise and innocent, it is because I first believed I should be. That is the entire heart of the matter. I cannot "gain wisdom" or "achieve innocence" except that I first believe that it is in me to "gain" and "achieve." Correct?
So, why do you think that Jesus considered a dove "innocent"? When I look at a bird, any bird, not just a dove, I see a creature that "knows" that he or she is right being what he or she is; and that is all that "innocence" means. It means "believing in your own goodness." I guess it is in first "knowing" that you are good that you are "wise as a serpent." And that in a nutshell is what I think Jesus was all about.
For those of you who think otherwise and believe that you have to believe in what Jesus taught without first "knowing" it yourself, what is it that you think Jesus taught you that you could not have known by yourself? Could you have not "known" that to first love others you have to first love yourself? That is what Jesus taught, but why do you or I need a Jesus to tell us what we can already know by ourselves? Tell me that.
I do believe that each of us who call ourselves "Christian" believe in a Jesus of choice, but our "Jesus of choice" can only be drawn from "our sources of Jesus." Right? For instance, I have had access to a Jesus Memoir that most of my fellow Christians have not even known exists - THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THOMAS. It is from that gospel that I get a Jesus who taught that I should become "wise as a serpent and innocent as a dove." Most of my fellow Christians have not had that Jesus to know. So, I guess it is fair to say they have not known they could choose such a Jesus.
Be that as it may, "the Jesus reflected in me" is, I think, the Jesus that taught that I could become wise on my own and be innocent on my own - without him, that is, Jesus. That is the Jesus of choice for me; but I will leave pursuit of that theme to my next article which I will call INNOCENT AS A DOVE. Ok?
To conclude this article, however, let me feature a song I wrote in the '80s I called "Like a Bird In The Heavens." I was walking from my apartment in Atlanta, Georgia to a friend, Emmett Needham's, apartment outside of Atlanta when I looked up and saw a bird flying over me. I guess it dawned on me - or in me - that that bird was really telling me how it is for it - and thus, how it should be for me. I don't think my bird of the time was a dove, but it was "innocent as a dove." So I penned the following song while walking to Emmett's apartment. In a way, it was Emmett who really helped me realize the truth in my song by virtue of his total acceptance of me. Emmett died from a heart attack at the age of 53 in 1985; but I must say I have never had a better friend. Thanks, Emmett!
LIKE A BIRD
IN THE HEAVENS
By
Francis William Bessler
Atlanta, Georgia
1984
REFRAIN:
Like a bird in the heavens, I’m free to be.
Like a bird in the heavens, I can fly to thee.
Like a bird in the heavens, I’m in love, you see
For love is just being me.
Look at the little birds. See how they fall?
In seconds, they learn about flight.
There’s a lesson so clear. It should bring a tear.
Man’s still at war with his fears of the night.
Refrain.
BRIDGE:
Oh, how I love all the birds of the air –
no less than I love ole sister Moon.
So, please don’t blame me if I follow their lead –
and act like the whole world is my living room.
I don’t need a servant - tending my needs.
I don’t need the world feeling sorry for me.
I don’t need your glasses - to let me see.
Just set me free – to be little me.
Refrain, followed by Bridge.
(Then repeat “I don’t need a servant” verse,
concluding with Refrain twice.)