Have you ever been the victim of the wrongdoing of someone else? What is your reaction in this case? Crying out for justice or vengeance? Are there other alternatives? Are you familiar with the story of Joseph? If anyone had a basis to feel like a victim and cry out for justice it would be someone sold into slavery by his own brothers. Yet how did Joseph respond? He was faithful to me and prospered even in captivity. A long time passed before he saw his brothers again, and when he did he was in a position of advantage. And what did he say? What you meant for evil God meant for good.

Do you think that everyone is spiritual? People of good conscience differ on this question. My answer is only those who are created in my image. Do you know anyone who doesn’t like music? There are many types of music and everyone has their own tastes, but have you ever met anyone who didn’t like any type of music? Do you see these as being related questions? What is the content of music beyond the lyrics? Do you see music and other forms of art as doorways to the transcendent? This works universally, even on people whose profession is to reject any belief or creed. It is unavoidable.

Have you ever had an epiphany? This is a sudden and unexpected realization of eternal truth. It is a quantum leap in spiritual awareness. You can make incremental progress in your understanding by study through intentional effort, but you can’t schedule an epiphany. It comes to you when you least expect it. People use the term in jest, but real ones are rare, perhaps once or twice in a lifetime, but they are of sufficient intensity to make a permanent change. They are a means of transformation. Even though you can’t arrange an epiphany you can position yourself to receive it.

Have you ever had a contagious disease? Have you ever given one to someone else? Disease is transmitted by mechanisms well understood by medical science. Do you think of pain as being contagious? It isn’t transmitted in the same way that disease is, and this is more of a psychological question than a medical one, but have you met people in pain who are very effective at transmitting their pain? What is the alternative? Suffering in silence? Is it possible to do better than that? Could your pain be transformed into redemptive purpose that is also contagious to other people?