I’m staying in the Lub-d Hostel in Manila, Philippines where I met Nekki, a medical student from Nigeria, who is studying in Dumaguete, where I hope to eventually head. She has had a rough time with a certain “friend” and so she naturally has a question for You. “Why do bad things happen to good people and why do the brutal and negative people seem to get away with so much and live comfortable lives?”
“Oh My Linda Layli, Layli Linda! You know this as well as I do! This Earth is a Boot Camp For The Soul and it is full of many. many sorts of testing environments. Most of these look pretty good from the outside. Whatever you do, don’t turn her against these comforts and pleasures in life. They are really quite neutral. However, it’s always of interest to Us to watch what each soul chooses to do within their own circumstances, which can change radically throughout a lifetime. Most events are not individually controllable. Wars or diseases break out; people move around; family members impinge in many unexpected ways. These things happen to all humans.
But, there’s usually a great variety of responses and that’s what I’m keenly watching for. How a human reacts to the good and the negative events in their life tells Me a lot about the spiritual qualities forming inside of their soul.
Earth is a Proving Ground in the Laboratory of Life!”
And You, in the Upper Realm, are the Scientists In Charge!
“Not very much. It’s a neutral environment, actually, and different humans under similar circumstances, will interpret things extremely differently. Some will react positively to poverty. Some will reject riches. Some help others; some will abuse anything in their path and take whatever material advantages they can get.
Such tests regarding attitudes about material items can point out whether that Being is self-centered or other-oriented. The focus on Self is characteristic of infancy. A concern for the welfare of the community, family, friend or stranger, is evidence of a mature soul. With maturity comes happiness and satisfaction in the mere living of a life; while the infantile grasping for more and more possessions or advantages over others, creates constant anger and frustration. There’s never enough to satisfy that urge to acquire the baubles of life. Such a being never gets, or gives, enough love. Consequently, they become lonely and unhappy within their temporary wealth.”
So, there’s no point in envying the ones who choose that direction? But, that’s what we, humans, tend to do, isn’t it? Credit the rich with success and the poor with failure?
“Yes! This is a case of judging by the externals and not the human qualities of the person, themself. There are millions and millions of variations on this theme; especially when children are born into one extreme or the other. But, selfishness or generosity are measureable qualities, within a village hut or a palace. These are Inner, natural inclinations of the soul that are coming forth in a material setting and that is the reason that each of you humans chose to experience where your spiritual natures are hidden behind the needs of the flesh.
It’s as if all humans have chosen to dive deep into the ocean into a very hostile environment. Any scuba diver who fills their arms with gold bars found in a shipwreck, is not going to attain the surface before his oxygen tank runs out. Can he let go of the attractive baubles he has claimed for himself? Or will they, ultimately, cost him everything?”