Values of Christ: Number Six: Striving

Striving toward perfection is one of the great principles of the Ancient Wisdom teachers. I love this because I want to see the practical application of our religious and spiritual principles. It is wonderful when we believe something beautiful and act accordingly. If we are taught to love, then we practice that. If we learn about compassion and unity, then we live our life accordingly. In this way, we are bringing these ideas into daily practice and making them real.

I am not one for theory and nice talk that is not backed by actual practice. Look for practical application in the family and at work.

If we do not apply our religious and spiritual teachings, then we are hypocrites. Every religious and spiritual tradition has wonderful principles. The challenge is to strive to apply them.

Striving to live according to the great principles means we make changes in every part of our lives. The physical, emotional, and the mental parts of our life takes on changes. We function better, we are healthier, we are healed because we are living a life of causes and looking at the root of all events in our life.

So, here is the next idea of Christ, with which He weaves for us the most beautiful tapestry of Wisdom.

Enjoy!

Here is the Sixth value excerpted from The Teachings of Christ:

The sixth one is striving. Christ gave a tremendous Teaching on striving when He said, “Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” I was thinking about this for such a long time. Today I found what He meant. Can you imagine that? Today I found it. I mean I found one layer of it, maybe. He means that there is no perfection. What is that Father? As you run, that will be your Father. Nowhere is the Father finished. Christ wanted to tell you to endlessly strive toward perfection.

What does it mean, perfection? It is so simple. Perfection means to improve your life. That is all. If you are dressing yourself, dress better. If you are eating, eat better. If you are marrying, marry the best one. Live better. Bring the best children, the best places, talk better, behave better. This is not metaphysics. It is not hocus-pocus, abstract things, this or that. It is just common sense Teaching. Improve yourself. That is all.

In your office, if you are doing hocus-pocus work, don’t do it. Improve your job. Improve your writing, your typing, your singing, your piano playing. ­Improve it. Don’t just stand there. That is what ­striving means.

Where you are striving? …To the pattern!

One of the disciples said, “We must strive so hard that eventually we dress Christ upon us.” Suddenly you become Him! It is such a fantastic idea. You are becoming the externalization, the embodiment of the pattern!

(These excerpts are taken from the unpublished first volume of the Teachings of Christ by Torkom Saraydarian. All rights reserved. The Creative Trust. Used by permission of the copyright holder. For an Ageless Wisdom approach to the life and teachings of Christ and Jesus, please see Christ The Avatar of Sacrificial Love by Torkom Saraydarian.)