See a psychiatrist? Make a joke out of it? Tell yourself that you are being grandiose and had better get such notions out of your head, quick? Decide that the human race isn't worth the trouble? Go to the gym and start getting in shape? Pray?
This happened to lots of people in the Bible. Abraham heard voices that told him to leave home, break the idols that were his father's stock in trade, kill his son. There was no Thorazine in those days. A voice promised him that he would become the father of many nations. And in fact he did; over half the people in the world consider themselves spiritual descendants of Abraham.
A voice spoke to Moses from a burning bush and told him to lead the Jews out of slavery in Egypt. Moses asked, "Why should they follow me? Who shall I say sent me?" The voice answered, "Tell them Yahweh sent you." This is the name of God, and literally means: "I am what I will be". In other words, God was telling Moses he had the potential to become a great leader, and in fact he did.
Luke 1: 37Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
In modern times, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama are examples of people who have heard that voice. I know several others. Have you heard it? If you do, how will you respond?
If each of us believed that it was all up to us, we would get the job done.
In the name of the Prince of Peace, Carol Wolman
