Barry facilitates and coaches individuals, groups and businesses
through the seas of change to success.  He assists individuals with
closing the gaps between themselves and their dreams,  

Barry's work with Inspiration@work is focused on bringing spiritual
principles into the corporate world.

To learn more about Barry Selby, click on his business card below or
visit him at AskBARRY
Barry Selby
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Barry Selby has over 20 years in  the personal
development Field in leadership and facilitation
roles.  He holds a Masters Degree in Spiritual
Psychology, and is a licensed Spiritual Counselor.

He is a workshop leader, Leadership Consultant,
Gap Closure Specialist and Change Facilitator.  
He is also a Leader Facilitator with the University
of Transformational Studies and Leadership.
What if God was one of us?
By Barry Selby

Before I get rolling, let me disclose that what follows is my own
personal perception and knowing of God, and if yours differs, that
is the uniqueness that we all are.

The title is a hook, lifted from Joan Osborne, yet it opens up an
interesting discussion.

God is not just one of us, God is all of us, individually and
collectively. God is infinite in nature, so is everywhere. It would be
rather strange if the omnipotent and omniscient thing that God is
had to skip some place or other as he/she/it could not be everywhere
all the time (yikes, starting to sound like what my Mum used to say!).

So God must indeed be everywhere. That leads to the fact that God
is then in everything and everyone. Again, would God be selective in
choosing where to be and not be? No, God is the presence that
simply is, the presence that being infinite fills all things with itself.

And yes, I would rather not label God with a gender, as God is not
a person, God is all persons! We are made in the image and likeness
of God, and we have been trying to return the favour ever since
(Dr. Michael Bernard Beckwith).

Now, this also means that God is everyone we know, including ourselves.
Think about that for a moment. How should we act knowing we are
God?Not gods, but God. Also, and this is a purely personal observation, it
seems that it is an easy way out to retire to a monastery or similar venue
to contemplate God. It is much more challenging and committed to seek
that understanding and knowing, while driving in LA traffic, or dealing
with the in-laws, or the boss. Yes, all of them, including the other driver
cutting you up, are God, just like you!

Hmmm. Food for thought.

So what does that mean to you and me? A few ideas come to mind:

1. It is our responsibility to take care of this vehicle we call a body, since
it houses God.

2. It is our opportunity to create more peace in the world, as any warlike
activities against another, are simply attacks on ourselves. Think about
that for a week!

3. Others that treat us less than loving, are simply forgetting who they are.
It is not our job to remind them. However, it is our work to see them as
they truly are, even when they are not acting like it.

This is becoming the foundation of a workshop series that may appear
later in the year. Let me know if you are interested.

---
Barry Selby
Inspired Text