The center of everything from “The Adventures of the Boy Jesus”
After his day of kicking stones, Jesus came to the customary spot and said, “Abba, I am back!”
“I see. Jesus. For our money discussion.”
“Yes.”
“Money is values, Jesus. Values is what everything is.”
“Everything?”
“Values describe worth. Worst to best. You worship what you value most. You give it highest position. Values are set continuously. Everyone does it. It affects everything that happens.”
“How is money values?”
“Money is how most things are understood and valued. That cow is worth so much. That sword is worth this amount. Money can be used for good or ill.”
“What is ill?”
“Evil, Jesus. Doing harm. Hurting. Killing. Taking freedom away. Tormenting. Torturing. Ganging up. Being nasty. Being hypocritical. Hiding truth. Anything that hurts or harms. That’s ill, or evil, Jesus.”
“Money does evil?”
“Money is an extension of people, Jesus. In itself it is just what it is. A coin. Coins.”
“Can money do good?”
“Can people do good? Can you do good, Jesus?”
“Money is like a hand? Or an eye?”
“It is a way of using yourself. It expresses you, Jesus. I doubt you will ever have much money because you do not want or need it. It would be an encumbrance. It is that for many. And for others it reflects a worship of power, show and lording it over people. Money expresses all manner of good and evil, But you know exactly where good and evil come from, dont you Jesus?”
“The heart. From the heart.”
“Yes. The heart. And for that reason money is a force for both good and evil depending.”
Jesus was quiet for a full minute. Something gnawed at him. He finally spoke.
“Freedom needs instruction,” he said softly, tentatively.
It was Abba’s turn to be quiet.
“Well done,” he finally said.
Abba knew Jesus was grasping the truth.
“The great instructor is the awakened soul, Jesus. I teach all who ask. I live for all. I want only to teach.”
“People think of god, of you, as one who intervenes, makes things happen, judges people, sends them to heaven or hell.”
“Oh I intervene, Jesus, but not that way. That is silly. I answer when when you call on me. I never compromise freedom. You could walk away right now.”
“You want us to discover truth and beauty. On our own. And to create it”
“Jesus go home. You are close.”
“To what?”
“The center of everything.”
Later, walking home, Jesus realized he knew very little. But that was OK. He knew about freedom, the heart and Abba. He knew that this knowledge would do him in. But he would plant a seed, move things along. And, yes, that would be OK.
He heard something odd. Then he knew what it was. He was whistling softly.
Ω
Stephen C. Rose writes daily. Medium is his drafting board. Kindle is his marketplace. You the reader his hopeful supporter. He promotes his thought and art on Twitter . His own publication on Medium is called Everything Comes . Anyone can join. Drafts of his fiction, completed and in progress. can be found on Coffeelicious , an excellent Medium publication.
