T-25.VI The Special Function
1. The grace of God rests gently on forgiving eyes, and everything they look on speaks of Him to the beholder. ²He can see no evil; nothing in the world to fear, and no one who is different from himself. ³And as he loves them, so he looks upon himself with love and gentleness. ⁴He would no more condemn himself for his mistakes than damn another. ⁵He is not an arbiter of vengeance, nor a punisher of sin. ⁶The kindness of his sight rests on himself with all the tenderness it offers others. ⁷For he would only heal and only bless. ⁸And being in accord with what God wills, he has the power to heal and bless all those he looks on with the grace of God upon his sight.
Clarified
1. The grace of God rests gently on forgiving eyes, and everything forgiving eyes look on speaks of God to the beholder. ²The beholder, [that is, the one seeing with forgiving eyes] can see no evil; [can see] nothing in the world to fear, and [can see] no one who is different from the beholder’s self. ³And as the beholder loves those he sees as not different, so the beholder looks upon himself with love and gentleness. ⁴The beholder would no more condemn himself for his mistakes than damn another. ⁵The beholder is not an arbiter of vengeance, nor a punisher of sin. ⁶The kindness of the beholder’s sight rests on himself with all the tenderness it [the beholder’s kindly sight] offers others. ⁷For he [the beholder] would only heal and only bless. ⁸And being in accord with what God wills, he [the beholder] has the power to heal and bless all those he [the beholder] looks on with the grace of God upon his sight.Simplified
The grace of God rests gently on forgiving eyes. Everything forgiving eyes look on speaks of God to the beholder. With forgiving eyes, you see no evil. You see nothing in the world to fear. You see no one who is different from yourself. And as you love others, so you look upon yourself with love and gentleness. You would no more condemn yourself for your mistakes than damn another. You are not an arbiter of vengeance, nor a punisher of sin. The kindness of your sight rests on yourself with all the tenderness it offers others. For you would only heal and only bless. Your are in accord with what God wills, so you look with the grace of God on your sight. You have the power to heal and bless all those you look on.Summary
Look on the world with forgiving eyes. You will see with the grace of God. You will see only love and gentleness. Healing and blessing is the result.2. Eyes become used to darkness, and the light of brilliant day seems painful to the eyes grown long accustomed to the dim effects perceived at twilight. ²And they turn away from sunlight and the clarity it brings to what they look upon. ³Dimness seems better; easier to see, and better recognized. ⁴Somehow the vague and more obscure seems easier to look upon; less painful to the eyes than what is wholly clear and unambiguous. ⁵Yet this is not what eyes are for, and who can say that he prefers the darkness and maintain he wants to see?
Clarified
2. Eyes become used to darkness, and the light of brilliant day seems painful to the eyes grown long accustomed to the dim effects perceived at twilight. ²And eyes [that is, the eyes used to darkness] turn away from sunlight and the clarity it [sunlight] brings to what they [eyes] look upon. ³Dimness seems better; easier to see, and better recognized. ⁴Somehow the vague and more obscure seems easier to look upon; less painful to the eyes than what is wholly clear and unambiguous. ⁵Yet this [looking at the vague, obscure and dim] is not what eyes are for, and no one can say that he prefers the darkness and maintain he wants to see.Simplified
Eyes become used to darkness and twilight creates dim effects. Eyes grown accustomed to dimness experience pain from the light of a brilliant day. And they turn away from sunlight and the clarity it brings to what they look upon. Dimness seems better; easier to see, and better recognized. Somehow the vague and more obscure seems easier to look upon. The vague and obscure can be less painful to the eyes than what is wholly clear and unambiguous. Yet this is not what eyes are for, and who can say that he prefers the darkness and maintain he wants to see?Summary
Looking at what is clear and unambigous can seem painful when your eyes are used to what is obscure and dim.3. The wish to see calls down the grace of God upon your eyes, and brings the gift of light that makes sight possible. ²Would you behold your brother? ³God is glad to have you look on him. ⁴He does not will your savior be unrecognized by you. ⁵Nor does He will that he remain without the function that He gave to him. ⁶Let him no more be lonely, for the lonely ones are those who see no function in the world for them to fill; no place where they are needed, and no aim which only they can perfectly fulfill.
Clarified
3. The wish to see calls down the grace of God upon your eyes, and brings the gift of light that makes sight possible. ²Would you behold your brother? ³God is glad to have you look on him [your brother]. ⁴He [God] does not will your savior [that is, your brother] be unrecognized by you. ⁵Nor does He [God] will that he [your brother] remain without the function [that is, salvation] that He [God] gave to him [your brother]. ⁶Let him [your brother] no more be lonely, for the lonely ones are those who see no function in the world for them [the lonely ones] to fill; no place where they [the lonely ones] are needed, and no aim which only they [the lonely ones] can perfectly fulfill.Simplified
The wish to see calls down the grace of God upon your eyes. This grace brings the gift of light that makes sight possible. God is glad to have you look on your brother. God wants you to recognise your brother as your savior. God wants your brother to have the function of savior. Your brothers will be lonley if they have no function and no one needs them.Summary
God’s gift of sight will make you to recognize that your brother is your savior. Your brothers will be lonely without their role as savior. Let them be lonely no more.4. Such is the Holy Spirit’s kind perception of specialness; His use of what you made, to heal instead of harm. ²To each He gives a special function in salvation he alone can fill; a part for only him. ³Nor is the plan complete until he finds his special function, and fulfills the part assigned to him, to make himself complete within a world where incompletion rules.
Clarified
4. Such is the Holy Spirit’s kind perception of specialness; His [the Holy Spirit’s] use of what you made, to heal instead of harm. ²To each He [the Holy Spirit] gives a special function in salvation he [each one] alone can fill; a part for only him [each one]. ³Nor is the plan complete until he finds his [each one’s] special function, and fulfills the part assigned to him [each one], to make himself [each one’s self] complete within a world where incompletion rules.Simplified
Such is the Holy Spirit’s kind perception of specialness; His use of what you made, to heal instead of harm. To each He gives a special function in salvation he alone can fill; a part for only him. To complete the plan, each one must find their special function and fulfill it. Fulfilling his function makes him complete, even in an incomplete world.Summary
We made specialness, but the Holy Spirit can use specialness to for healing. He gives each one a special function of their own. The plan is complete when each of us completes our special function. We can do this even if the world remains incomplete for now.5. Here, where the laws of God do not prevail in perfect form, can he yet do one perfect thing and make one perfect choice. ²And by this act of special faithfulness to one perceived as other than himself, he learns the gift was given to himself, and so they must be one. ³Forgiveness is the only function meaningful in time. ⁴It is the means the Holy Spirit uses to translate specialness from sin into salvation. ⁵Forgiveness is for all. ⁶But when it rests on all it is complete, and every function of this world completed with it. ⁷Then is time no more. ⁸Yet while in time, there is still much to do. ⁹And each must do what is allotted him, for on his part does all the plan depend. ¹⁰He has a special part in time for so he chose, and choosing it, he made it for himself. ¹¹His wish was not denied but changed in form, to let it serve his brother and himself, and thus become a means to save instead of lose.
Clarified
5. Here, where the laws of God do not prevail in perfect form, can he [each one] yet do one perfect thing and make one perfect choice. ²And by this act of special faithfulness to one perceived as other than himself [that is, to a brother], he [each one] learns the gift was given to himself, and so they [each one and their brother] must be one. Forgiveness is the only function meaningful in time. It [forgiveness] is the means the Holy Spirit uses to translate specialness from sin into salvation. Forgiveness is for all. But when it [forgiveness] rests on all it [forgiveness] is complete, and every function of this world completed with it [forgiveness]. Then is time no more. Yet while in time, there is still much to do. And each must do what is allotted him [each one], for on his [each one’s] part does all the plan depend. He [each one] has a special part in time for so he [each one] chose, and choosing it, he [each one] made it for himself. His [each one’s] wish was not denied but changed in form, to let it [the wish] serve his [each one’s] brother and himself, and thus become a means to save instead of lose.Simplified
Here, where the laws of God do not prevail in perfect form, you can do one perfect thing and make one perfect choice. Doing this one thing is an act of special faithfulness to one perceived as other than yourself. What you give to another, you give to yourself. And so you are at one with all others. Forgiveness is the only function meaningful in time. It is the means the Holy Spirit uses to translate specialness from sin into salvation. Forgiveness is for all. But when it rests on all it is complete, and every function of this world completed with it. Then is time no more. Yet while in time, there is still much to do. The Holy Spirit has allotted a part to each one. The plan depends on you doing your allotted part. You have a special part in time for so you chose, and choosing it, you made it for yourself. Your wish was not denied but changed in form, to let it serve your brother and yourself. Thus the wish becomes a means to save instead of lose.Summary
Forgiveness is your one perfect choice and is the one thing you can do perfectly. Giving is having, and forgiving another means you forgive yourself. Forgiveness puts you at one with all brothers. You have a part in the Holy Spirit’s plan of forgiveness. Your wish to be special becomes the particular part you play in the plan for forgiveness.6. Salvation is no more than a reminder this world is not your home. ²Its laws are not imposed on you, its values are not yours. ³And nothing that you think you see in it is really there at all. ⁴This is seen and understood as each one takes his part in its undoing, as he did in making it. ⁵He has the means for either, as he always did. ⁶The specialness he chose to hurt himself did God appoint to be the means for his salvation, from the very instant that the choice was made. ⁷His special sin was made his special grace. ⁸His special hate became his special love.
Clarified
6. Salvation is no more than a reminder this world is not your home. ²Its [this world’s] laws are not imposed on you, its [this world’s] values are not your [values]. ³And nothing that you think you see in it [this world] is really there at all. ⁴This [that nothing you think you see in this world is there at all] is seen and understood as each one takes his [each one’s] part in its [the world’s] undoing , as he [each one] did in making it [the world]. ⁵He [each one] has the means for either [making the world or undoing it], as he [each one] always did. ⁶The specialness he [each one] chose to hurt himself did God appoint to be the means for his [each one’s] salvation, from the very instant that the choice was made. ⁷His [each one’s] special sin was made his [each one’s] special grace. ⁸His [each one’s] special hate became his [each one’s] special love.Simplified
Salvation is no more than a reminder this world is not your home. Its laws are not imposed on you, its values are not yours. You made what you see. And as you undo what you made, you will see and understand that nothing you think you see in the world is there at all. You have the means for making or undoing, as you always did. You chose specialness to hurt yourself. God appointed the specialness you chose to be the means for your salvation. God made your special sin into your special grace. Your special hate became your special love.Summary
Your wish to be special made the world. You are saved when you remember the world you made is not real. God uses your belief in specialness to give you a special function which will undo the world and bring salvation to everyone.7. The Holy Spirit needs your special function, that His may be fulfilled. ²Think not you lack a special value here. ³You wanted it, and it is given you. ⁴All that you made can serve salvation easily and well. ⁵The Son of God can make no choice the Holy Spirit cannot employ on his behalf, and not against himself. ⁶Only in darkness does your specialness appear to be attack. ⁷In light, you see it as your special function in the plan to save the Son of God from all attack, and let him understand that he is safe, as he has always been, and will remain in time and in eternity alike. ⁸This is the function given you for your brother. ⁹Take it gently, then, from your brother’s hand, and let salvation be perfectly fulfilled in you. ¹⁰Do this one thing, that everything be given you.