| Many of us choose to live by certain attributes of love, | | | | constructive are the same, and society has used |
| understanding, compassion, honor, honesty and humility. | | | | these words interchangeably, looking at the original |
| However, some people regard these attributes as | | | | derivation of the words can give another perspective. |
| good while others choose to call them constructive. Is | | | | Specifically, if you ponder the individual meanings of |
| there a difference, and if so, what is it? It may be | | | | each word carefully, you can definitely discern a |
| beneficial to understand the terminology in order to | | | | distinct difference between the two. |
| realize your spiritual being more completely. In that | | | | Good – A Position of Inequality |
| regard, I would like to offer the following information for | | | | Beginning with the first bullet in the above good |
| your perusal: | | | | description list, it is possible to see a pattern. Would you |
| Good | | | | agree to be virtuous or worthy, you must believe you |
| - Word is derived from the Old English word god, and | | | | are not the same as another? In other words, you feel |
| includes the following meanings: | | | | you are either superior or inferior. From my |
| - virtuous (worthy); | | | | perspective, as I look at each of the remaining |
| - desirable (to want something you currently do not | | | | definitions of good, I can discern that all of them |
| have); | | | | describe acts from the position of superiority or |
| - favorable (approving or partiality); | | | | inferiority to another. Do you agree? |
| - pleasant (agreeable); | | | | From a spiritual standpoint, each meaning for the word |
| - valid (legitimate or powerful); | | | | good will apply if you feel you are separate from God. |
| - suitable (appropriate, proper, right, correct); | | | | Thinking you are separate, you can assume you are |
| - efficient (not wasteful); | | | | inferior. Furthermore, if you think you are separate, then |
| - considerable (substantial); or | | | | God is outside of you, and not within. Each individual |
| - sufficiently great (distinguished or notable). | | | | meaning of the word good validates this premise. |
| Webster's dictionary definition provides the following | | | | Constructive – A More Neutral Approach |
| additional definitions: | | | | However, focusing on the individual definitions for the |
| - commendable; | | | | word constructive, a different picture emerges. Each |
| - right; | | | | of them is a representation of an action by a person |
| - proper; or | | | | who has taken a neutral approach to spirituality. A |
| - evidence of guilt. | | | | spiritual teacher named Charles Crooks has often |
| | | | | stated, "You are part of the whole and not separate." |
| Constructive | | | | Under these terms, you are neutral. You can be neither |
| - Word is derived from the Latin word constuere, and | | | | inferior nor superior. Furthermore, when you are part of |
| includes the following meanings: | | | | the whole, everything, including the light of God is within |
| - to heap (crowd, assemble); | | | | you. |
| - bring (bring forth, produce, present, offer); | | | | Although doing good can be constructive, which word |
| - collect (pull together); | | | | do you think is more beneficial to your spiritual growth? |
| - gather together; | | | | The choice is yours. Do you want to consider yourself |
| - build; | | | | outside the light of God, allowing a regard for yourself |
| - fabricate (manufacture, produce, put together or | | | | as either inferior or superior? On the other hand, does |
| craft); or | | | | a more neutral approach to spirituality appear to be |
| - erect (to elevate or set upright). | | | | resonating with you? |
| Webster's dictionary definition provides the following | | | | I know that I am not outside the light of God. I work |
| additional definitions: | | | | within that light, bringing forth the constructive attributes |
| - to devise (to develop, consider, form, plan, or arrange | | | | of love, understanding, compassion, honor, honesty and |
| in the mind); | | | | humility, in the pursuit of defining my character more |
| - compile; or | | | | fully. Therefore, I choose to use the word constructive, |
| - invent (to discover or create). | | | | instead of good. Based on this new understanding, |
| | | | | what do you choose? |
| While it does appear that both the words good and | | | | |