Lesson number 1 if we are numbering is really that your word is your bond.
This is *the* most important thing.
If you say you are going to do something or be someplace, do it or be there. If things change as they do (only constant in the world is change) just update someone. Let them know you are running late or won’t make it.
Now, before I continue let me give you some background on my use of Scriptures.
If I quote the Bible or the Qur’aan or the Bhagavad Gita, or the Enum Elish, or the Gospel of Barnabas or the Egyptian Book of the Dead or any religious text, I’m quoting it the same way I would quote the Dictionary, or any literary work. I do believe that work can be inspired, I include examples like The Prophet by Khahill Gibran to be truly inspired.
I will of course also at times cite scientific and historical texts, so for those who don’t like religion just accept I’m looking at all of these texts with the same critical eye. Their validity is required to stand up to scrutiny the same way everything else is. But that doesn’t mean we can’t still be inspired by beautiful words.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
These are both extraordinary quotes, and truly inspirational, both from Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
Sometimes the non-religious folks discount the beauty of religious texts simply because they are religious. That’s just silly.
“Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.”
Shall we discount that simply because it happens to be in the Bible? (Matthew 7:12)
See, I’ve thrown in my first Bible Quote and it wasn’t that painful.
Apologies for the diversion, now where were we.
Right, we were talking about the importance of one’s word.
If we look to the Bible there is a very interesting verse that mentions the word.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1
Okay, so let’s parse that. So it is saying that in the beginning of it all was the Word. And this Word was not only with God, but this Word was God.
What is this Word you ask? This Word is the spoken word.
If we look at this verse in context, (the same way we would analyze a literary text) this is all of it:
John 1 King James Version (KJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
We could get into an analysis verse by verse and look at the original Aramaic but that will get boring to some. (if you’d like me to explain it leave a comment at the bottom)
The bottom line of those verses is to say that God lives within us and the words we speak are what creates our reality.
So yes, to reverse that, your reality is created by your words.
Word is Bond
If your word isn’t your bond, besides other people not being able to rely on you, the worst part is you won’t be able to trust your own words. “I’ll see you tomorrow at 10:00” you say to someone knowing you take the 9:45 bus and won’t get there until 10:15.
If you don’t believe what you say out of your own mouth, that power of creation is turned off. Rather, creation still happens but it is undirected. Imagine getting into a car and hitting the gas but closing your eyes and not steering. That’s what life is like if you don’t take the reigns and create your future on purpose. In the car example, you can imagine a pretty horrendous crash. Not much different in life really…
The first step, the first lesson is that “Your Word is Your Bond.”
If you live by that, the power of creation will be unleashed within you.
This lesson ties in directly with the Law of Attraction and the importance of Positive Thinking. The Bible was trying to express that lesson in religious terms. However you look at it, religiously or through the LoA, the lesson is the same.
Positive energy begets positive energy begets positive results.
The short of it is we have to take 100% responsibility for how our lives are, because we created it. After we accept that sad reality, the upside is we have the power to create whatever life we want.
Okolo Schwinn-Clanton
Resources:
The Secret The Book
The Secret The Movie
The Power of Now
John 1:1-5