How do we face new beginnings, changes and the unknown?
Even if we are receiving a promotion at work or experiencing an upgrade of some sort in our lives, there is a challenge in integrating change.
When facing the unknown, one aspect of our self is confident about it, and the other feels trepidation.
In this week’s parasha (Torah reading), twelve spies are sent by Moses on a reconnaissance mission into the Promised Land. They return with news. Ten of them say that the land is filled with the offspring of giants, and that the cities are huge and well fortified, giving the Children of Israel the feeling that they will be too weak against them. Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, give a different view of the land and its inhabitants. They give the people encouraging report, stating that they would be able to enter the land and fulfill their destiny.
The Children of Israel are terrified and can’t help but focus on the report of the ten spies. They disregard the hopeful message of the two. The people lament and complain and wish they had never left the ‘safe’ slavery of Egypt. Moses falls on his face in despair and God decries that the people are not ready to enter the land, they will need to wander for another thirty-nine years and all these people will need to perish in the desert and only their children will be able to enter the land. The exception is Joshua and Caleb.
What can this story mean to us? One way of understanding it, is in a symbolic way. To me the story is inviting us to think about positive opportunities that present themselves to us in our lives – some that we have worked hard for, some that seem to come to us out of the blue. When this happens, there is a part of us that can’t rise to the occasion, that part is too afraid and can’t step up to that new level. This is like the ten spies and the people who bought into their vision.
There is another part within us that can make the leap into the next step of our evolution, the part that has the courage and believes in your own ability. This is like Caleb and Joshua, who can see opportunity in the Land and have confidence in their own abilities and those of their people.
This week we reflect on the opportunities we have and our reactions and responses to these opportunities. Do we have confidence in ourselves or do we shy away? What is the part of ourselves that is fearful and what is the part that can face the unknown and take up the challenge? Both aspects are there, and it’s important to recognize them.
Of course it’s also important to spend time discerning which goals and opportunities are going to take us in a direction of goodness and compassion and growth.
With this Shabbat may we be blessed to be able to face the challenge of stepping into opportunities that will help us to grow.
And may we have supportive people around us to smooth the way towards our land of milk and honey.
Deixa un comentari