As humans, are we not called to be God's hands on earth? (And even if we don't believe in any gods, doesn't natural law call us to be Love to one another?) As the monk/singer John Michael Talbot writes, "Christ has no body here but yours." What does that mean exactly?
Are we supposed to work up enough faith in order to bring God down to earth? Are we supposed to Name It and Claim It to see the magic?
I don't think so. It's not about us, after all. It's also not that much about others. It's really about the connection, the material Love, that is brought into existence when we act in love. So, how do we act in love?
Jesus told his disciples that all we needed was faith the size of a mustard seed. That's a pretty small seed, yet it becomes something large and fruitful over time with proper care. I think that a mustard seed portion of faith is the equivalent of taking a baby step. We just need to take that first step towards The One Who Knows Us and say, "Okay, here I am." We make the choice, and we will not be alone as we move / are moved ahead.
So where is he? Where do we go as we take that baby step, holding our tiny seed, learning to do this thing called 'acting in love'? Do we look to the heavens...or to we look to earth? Where is God so that we can do his work, this thing called 'acting in love'?
This is where the connection thing breaks down. We look in the wrong places. Because we're so busy with life, we assume that we should busy ourselves with God's work. We mistakenly think we're responsible for making a grand game plan...and hope that God shows up. We busy our minds so much that we fail to hear him in the voices of those around us or in the stillness within us.
As a consequence, we lose the opportunity to give god materiality, to make god real, to make god, God.
How do we make God material? By not looking for him: he's already here. We don't have to look for him. We don't have to make plans. We don't have to be something. We just have to connect and act. It's the connection, the material Love, that is brought into existence when we act in love.
I think we're supposed to see God in those around us and be God's hands to them, thereby connecting us to them through Love. At these times Love is real, material, and quite visible.
I think we're supposed to jump in feet first, hope for everything, and expect nothing.
I think we're supposed to just take a baby step and say, "Here I am."
I think we need to take a step and find ways to bless others and let that do the talking.
We just need faith the size of a mustard seed. Though a little bravery won't hurt.
