Thomas 1:10 … Guarding the Fire (01/01/17)
“I have cast Fire on the world and, look — I am guarding It until It blazes.” ~ Jesus (Gospel of Thomas 10)
First & foremost it is crucial to realize that “fire” for Jesus had nothing to do with punishment or “karma” or retribution of any kind – that “fire” for Jesus was a purifying, cleansing agent; something uncomfortable but ultimately Peace-bringing; something to be courageously embraced, not something torturous and awful to be feared or avoided (see Jeremiah 20:9, Luke 3:16, Luke 12:49, Hebrews 12:28-29, Thomas 10 & Thomas 13et al) …
Indeed, for a world steeped in material lusts and emotional fears, the only “fire” that could “burn” deeply enough to cleanse the same must be a psycho-spiritual one – and in order to succeed, it must (like any effective cleanser) apply the opposite force to the discord it is attempting to expunge.
The world is soaked in the suffering that comes from attaching to material things and the desire that comes from the same. As such, the only “fire” that can cleanse such dysfunctional hoarding is the Fire of selfless Giving … Similarly, the world is soaked in the suffering that comes from fear – attacking enemies, shunning strangers, holding grudges against those who have wronged us, protecting ourselves from potential threats and hidden attacks.
As such, the only “fire” that can purify such primal selfishness is the Fire of unconditional LOVE … It can thus come as no surprise that selfless Giving and unconditional Love are the primary planks of Jesus’ Way, Jesus’ Truth, and Jesus’ Life (see Matthew 22:37-40, Matthew 25:35-40, John 13:15-17 et al).
And in closing, please note that Jesus does not say here that he will be spreading the fire himself, but rather that he will be “guarding it” until it blazes on its own (i.e. teaching that Way by demonstrating it; and doing so until others see that Way, and then choose freely to emulate that Way — thereby spreading the Fire of Love themselves throughout the world).
Amen … Let it be so.
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