ACIM Lesson 335 I choose to see my brother’s sinlessness.
Forgiveness is a choice. I choose to see what I would look upon, and this I see, and only this.
I choose to see my brother’s sinlessness.
ACIM Lesson 335
I choose to see my brother’s sinlessness.
1. Forgiveness is a choice. ²I never see my brother as he is, for that is far beyond perception. ³What I see in him is merely what I wish to see, because it stands for what I want to be the truth. ⁴It is to this alone that I respond, however much I seem to be impelled by outside happenings. ⁵I choose to see what I would look upon, and this I see, and only this. ⁶My brother’s sinlessness shows me that I would look upon my own. ⁷And I will see it, having chosen to behold my brother in its holy light.
2. What could restore Your memory to me, except to see my brother’s sinlessness? ²His holiness reminds me that he was created one with me, and like myself. ³In him I find my Self, and in Your Son I find the memory of You as well.
What We Wish to Be True
What I see in my brother is what I wish to see. It is what I want to be the truth. This is a very helpful statement. It can be a temptation to believe that we respond to others according to what they do or say or how they look. But we are always responding according to our own beliefs. These beliefs represent what we want to be the truth.
Forgiving Judgments
Reading this, I want to watch my responses more closely to see what it is that I believe about the world and myself. If I find that I want someone to be guilty, I realize that I will see myself as guilty. But as Jesus says, forgiveness is a choice. I am free to change my mind by forgiving my present choice. I forgive that belief and let it go. In its place, I choose a belief that will bring happiness and peace to the world and therefore to me.
My experience has proven to me that this is true. I used to be judgmental of everyone. This is because I believed that my judgment was justified by their actions and words. I was also quick to judge myself on the same basis. After I studied the Course for a while, I began to understand my error. Slowly, I learned to forgive these judgments and in so doing, I forgave myself.
See it Differently to Experience it Differently
It is fascinating to me to see the difference this made in how I view the world now. Nothing much has changed in the world but how I see it is different and so how I experience it is different. Now when I see someone acting from their ego, I just see someone who needs love. I give what is needed in the most appropriate way that I can. I might smile or say a kind word. Or, I might just remember who they are since they have forgotten.
As I Forgive I Am Forgiven
But the point is, I don’t have to talk myself into this or try to justify it in my mind. I just feel the desire to bless. This isn’t about them, really. It is the result of forgiving my own beliefs. When I forgive, I am forgiven and a forgiven mind naturally turns to love rather than fear. I still slip into ego thinking sometimes, but I quickly notice. And I am happy for the opportunity to forgive again since practice makes perfect.
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