Teaching or Preaching By Fran Hafey/Mysti

I drifted back in time to when I was a child sitting in a Sunday morning
church service. We went every Sunday and I knew the format well. I recalled the feeling I had when the Preacher, up in the pulpit would share his message. Once he was finished, he usually offered an invitation for the folks in the congregation to come up and renew their lives. I remember many sermons being about how we had to do this or that in order to go here or there and be this and that. They would tell us that in order to go to Heaven we had to follow certain rules. I can remember at the age of nine, how afraid I was to go up to the front of the church, in front of all those people and tell the preacher I wanted to be saved. I was told everyone had to do, it, but everyone did it in their own timing. I never understood why this had to be this way. God already knew my heart, why did I have to tell everyone else?

Back to today... and I now believe that we create our own heaven and that
hell does not exist. I recalled those fire and brimstone sermons where they
were telling us how to be... or else. Some days... I still feel as though I
am being preached at and I actually used to recent it quite a bit, but now
I just lovingly share my views if someone asks. I am tolerant of all
beliefs and simply ask that mine be tolerated as well.

I prefer teaching to preaching and also teaching others by what I've lived.
Examples and life lessons are very powerful. Jesus life was a perfect
example. His own family could not see how special he was and how he was
chosen as one of the Masters to teach by his own life example. Just like
today... I find it more difficult to be a light to my own family than to
strangers. Many have known us from the beginning of our lives and they find
it difficult to fathom that we could change so much, or that we were born
and incarnated here to do something special. They've seen us at some of our
lowest times and know our weaknesses. Sometimes our family and closest
friends can be our very hardest challenges in this life.

Everyday I receive e-mail from people saying how I've touched their lives
and how grateful they are for some of the things I do and share. My heart
is always blessed and touched when I read what others have to say. I
appreciate every word and message.

I've come to a place in this life, where I am teaching and don't care for
the preaching. I sometimes find myself up on my little soapbox, preaching,
but it only takes a moment for me to remember where I began and how far I
have to go, but I also know I've worked hard and my journey has not been
easy and for some time now, I've known of my positions here as teacher and
sage.

We're all teachers and students. I've found like honey and vinegar, we can
choose which approach we use to help others, sweet or bitter. I've always
noticed, for others and myself too, we learn much better by being taught by
life lessons and love than to be preached at and told we have little
choice.

I do believe that my life has helped other as theirs have helped me. We
must take the time to learn and teach with love and realize when we're
preaching not teaching. People tend to put up walls when we preach... not
teach, and we get nowhere. Some people may already know what we're trying to say, but when it's said with love, it's more accepted than with
pushiness or close mindedness.

Take time to notice if someone you're preaching at may not just be the
choir, as they say. Lessons can take time to learn. We may have to
experience them over and over again before we actually learn from them.
It's up to us how we learn and when. Amazing how we can hear it many times before it really, truly sinks into our hearts, but that's our choice, just
like for me... I choose to teach, not preach.


Copyright: Mystickblue (c) June, 2004 All rights reserved.

About the Author

Fran Hafey is a Spiritual Counselor, Healer, Writer, Earth/Animal Activist
and Teacher. She provides guidance and inspiration via her Website, groups
and newsletter on the World Wide Web. To read more of her articles visit
the Author's Website: http://Mystickblue.com She's currently working on
publishing her own books about love, inspiration, magic and nature stories
for Children of all ages.