50th Birthday Bread… The HIGHEST Values!

There is something strikingly different about 50 than any other birthday:

The AARP!

The American Association of Retired People got their membership application in my mailbox on December 1. Those guys are crack marketers.

Other than that, the BIG 5-0 is no big deal. It’s just another number.

I’m told I look younger than my age. Today that compliment takes on a whole new meaning. I believe part of it is because I don’t wear a watch. I don’t have time ticking away on my wrist. I’ve always believed wearing a watch ages us; we can literally “watch” time slip away. Then again, maybe it’s just good genes and a sunny disposition (Adam would get a chuckle out of that).

If you joined our call this week on, “The NEW Game of Spirituality” you heard me sum up the whole premise of Axiology, the model of human values in two sentences:

*** To serve is more valuable than to obey! ***
*** To love is more valuable than to serve! ***

Obeying is systemic, and the least valuable.
Serving is extrinsic, and more valuable.
Loving is intrinsic, and most valuable of all.

When given a choice to obey or serve, SERVE!
When given a choice to serve or love, LOVE!

If you want to have a great life, spend half of it loving and serving others, and the other half allowing others to love and serve you.

Obey when you must. Rules are here to keep a sense of order. Rules are meant to serve us, we are not meant to serve rules. We are here to love and serve people.

Obeying is a low value activity. It’s important, but it is the least rich of life’s value dimensions. Obey when you must, and not a minute longer.

Serving is a high value activity. It fills your pocketbook and uplifts your spirit. Serve whenever you can.

Loving is the highest value activity. Every minute of every day, love yourself and love others! Love all the time, continuously.

Love is the way, the richest life has to offer. It’s also the dimension of value that gives us the best chance for the future of humankind. It is the only long-term solution to the problems that plague us.

The conflicts we experience in the world reflect a choice to obey rather than serve or love.

All human conflict, from the individual to the global, has its source in this value inversion. When we elevate the value of obeying above serving and loving, the result is an inversion of what matters most.

** Taking a life for ANY IDEOLOGY is the ultimate perversion of human value! **

When we devalue the most valuable (humanity) and elevate the least valuable (ideology), this collision of values results in destruction, devastation, and death.

Every battle between people, and every war among peoples has been fought over idealism or materialism or both. The bloodiest conflicts in history pitted one value system against another, right vs. wrong, good vs. evil.

Everyone claims to have God on his side.

Ideological (systemic) values separate us.
Material (extrinsic) values seduce us.

These are the value dimensions that lead to conflict.

Intrinsic value binds us. There is NO conflict in the spiritual world.
Intrinsically, there is nothing that separates us. The intrinsic world unites us.

The path to a peaceful life and a peaceful world travels through the land of intrinsic value. We will hit critical mass when we elevate the way we relate to one another as people, not as accountants, CEOs, secretaries, carpenters, homemakers, politicians, patriots, Americans, liberators, foreigners, evildoers, freedom fighters, insurgents, terrorists, or any other labels we give ourselves that confuse what we do for who we are.

We are not what we do. We are so much more.

We need to stand up for what matters most.
We need to step up and be who we really are.

There is a global urgency to change the game. America’s strength is her power, not just her force. Let us not ‘force the good’ but be a force FOR good.

Democracy is a great idea, maybe the best, yet it is still an ideology, a value system.

Democracy is not intrinsic in value. It does not transcend humanity.

Is it moral to kill innocent people to spread democracy, then condemn as evildoers those who do the same in the name of their ideology? Should we not be outraged at the senseless murder of innocent people, whoever’s value system killed them?

The game can’t be won playing value system against value system.
The game must be changed to value humanity, service and enlightenment.

Forcing a “good” value system on people gives those with “evil” value systems the justification to spread their brand of ideology. Belief is a powerful drug, and the single most dangerous mind-controlling substance on the planet.

Everyone seems to believe they are doing God’s work.

Isn’t it a bit presumptuous to think we know God’s plan?
Might it be a little pompous to think she needs us to do her work?

If the higher power built this world in six days, does it really need our help to spread the gospel?

Force instills fear.
Power generates love.

We export force, and people fear us.
We give people power, and they love us.

We have done more than our share of the former.
It’s time we try the latter.

Obedience to a value system, backed by force is the bedrock principle of authoritarian systems. Power bestowed by proclamation and vested in the state can be the most dangerous force of all.

Obedience is the lowest order of power.
Obeying is the least valuable state of mind.

Most things lose their luster and value over time.
Things are not the most important things in life.

People are what matter most.
People are the real gifts in life.

The highest power is individual power.
YOU and I are the most powerful forces on the planet.

In the new game, 1 + 1 = INFINITY!

I don’t pray for success or worldly things.
I pray for the opportunity to serve.

Most of all, I pray for love and I pray for peace.
Heaven knows we could use a lot more of both.

Thank you for allowing me into your life.

I look forward to the next 50.

With abundant love,

Mitch

P.S. We had such a great response to our call, “The NEW Game of Spirituality” we will do another follow up call on…

***Wednesday, December 15 at 8pm Eastern***
Phone 858-300-3030 Pin: 12254#

We will discuss many of the every day, real world applications and how to apply this new game to enrich your life, enjoy your livelihood and enhance your standard of living.

Join us.

***Wednesday, December 15 at 8pm Eastern***
Phone 858-300-3030 Pin: 12254#