There is a story in the Old Testament in the book of Exodus about how the Holy Priests were to dress.
Specific instructions were given as to the design of their vestments. The hemline of the garment, and how it was to be decorated, is the part that I’m writing about today.
The hemline was to be adorned with “a bell, and a pomegranate, a bell, and a pomegranate” roundabout the hem. It made for a lovely symmetrical design, but more than that, it carried a message that we can still interpret today to have meaning for our lives.
There was an energy or a rhythm to the flow of the garment that had the weights at the bottom, suggesting that there was purpose in the design. My understanding is that the bell could symbolize a gift, and the pomegranate a fruit. The reason this is significant for spiritual development is because the concept is about balancing the practical elements we have to work with.
I first became interested in understanding the importance of this design when I connected the writings of the new testament references to the “gifts of the Spirit” and the “fruits of the Spirit.” A closer examination revealed that there were nine gifts and nine fruits.
I Corinthians 12 lists the gifts as:
- Word of Wisdom
- Word of Knowledge
- Faith
- Healings
- Working of Miracles
- Prophecy
- Discerning of Spirits
- Different Kinds of Tongues
- Interpretation of Tongues
Galatians 5 lists the fruits as:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Longsuffering
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self Control
I began to understand that the significance of having a balance in my life as related to my understanding and use of spiritual gifts was tempered by the outworking of my character, or my soul’s expression of values.
This really came home for me when reading the “Love Chapter,” Corinthians 13, where it states that I can have all the gifts but that if I don’t have Love, then I am just making a lot of noise like a clanging cymbal.
At the soul level, we understand this to mean that the person who allows their ego to be inflated by the awareness of their spiritual giftedness will be off-balanced.
Our service to others in this lifetime can flow with the knowledge that we are able to balance the outworking and manifestations we seek by practicing the expression of Love as we allow our gifts to be experienced through us.
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Article by Rev. Eva Lott
Wise Woman Holistic Services
(254) 541-1564
http://www.wisewomanholisticservices.com
