Question:
Growing up as a Pentecostal, my Pastor always preached we must be upright and sin-free, for we are created in the Creator's image. I can't say I truly know what that means and how to practically apply this teaching to my life. What do the Kabbalists have to say?
Answer:
As you said, the Bible does write that man was created in the image of the Creator. This is a powerful lesson, and I agree, it is unfortunately misunderstood by many, and therefore its many lessons and ramifications are lost as well.
If we truly understand, internalize and live the meaning of this verse, our lives will be completely transformed. The Creator in this verse is teaching us one of the most fundamental of spiritual understandings: we have, imbued within our being all the powers and abilities of the Creator.
Simply put, anything the Creator can do, we have the potential of doing. This means that we have within us the potential to heal, bless, and assist others in the deepest way…and so much more.
Kabbalists stress the importance of taking the time to internalize this lesson. We cannot even begin to fathom the awesome powers that we can and are meant to have.
Once we understand the powers that we are meant to reveal we can begin developing ourselves to activate this potential. This is the process of our spiritual development in general, but specifically we need to remember that the best way to activate our amazing Creator potential is by erecting a monument of warning against the ego.
Or as the Kabbalists refer to it, the desire to receive for the self alone.
There is no greater barrier to revealing our Creator potential than our ego, and there is no more powerful way to reveal it than by proactively diminishing the ego.
It is important that we also remember this is not simply a nice spiritual lesson and concept; rather this is, exactly our purpose in this world. Our purpose in this world is to reveal our awesome Creator potential and with it, to assist others and ourselves. This is also the only way to achieve true and lasting fulfillment.
Imagine if Jonas Salk (American biologist and physician best known for the development of the polio vaccine) spent his time doing something else, maybe traveling the world, relaxing more, collecting stamps whatever. How many people would have died and suffered because he chose not to develop his innate abilities?
We are all in this position!
Thank you for your question and may it be a giant wake up call for all of us. As we begin the New Year, let us appreciate our unbelievable potential and resolve ourselves to further developing it. Not only for the sake of all the people we are meant to help, but also because it is the only way we can achieve true and lasting fulfillment.
