Respect! Open Door, Shining Light
Day 37: His light shines.
Today’s ACIM lesson made me think of the King’s Guard who protect Buckingham Palace. When they are heckled by tourists, instead of being distracted, they remain magpie-focused, ignoring those silly people, who think they’re being funny.
I don’t find them funny. I find those tourists disrespectful.
To his credit, even when people walk up, and try to make the soldier react, or test his boundaries, and then take selfies, the guard holds his stoic pose. Only when necessary does he consider breaking position to manage their behavior.
Definition: A stoic pose signifies profound inner calm, resilience, and emotional control, often appearing as a neutral, composed, or “stiff upper lip” expression when things go wrong. Rather than showing active, passionate, or volatile reactions, a stoic pose reflects a mindset of accepting what cannot be controlled and remaining unshaken by emotions or external chaos.
Respect! Whoever sets the pace controls the fight.
The King’s Guard represents authority. They honor their position regardless of what’s happening around them. Imagine the discipline required to be made fun of, and to ignore any demons whispering rubbish in your ear, as the tourists do what tourists do.
Obviously, I wouldn’t last five minutes as a palace guard. My mouth gets me in trouble… and the videos would go viral.
On the other hand, my cousin, Steven, served in The 2nd Battalion Queen’s Regiment back in the day. He looked so handsome in his uniform. Fast-forward to now, he’s amazingly calm, and he laughs all the time. He’s not bothered by anyone or anything.
Light shines through open hearts.
My holiness blesses the world. ACIM Lesson 37
Today’s reflection is about staying lit — by the light of Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit. What’s fascinating about this ACIM Lesson 37 conversation is that it actually requires bravery and discipline to keep the door open for the light to shine through.
That’s the — my holiness blesses — practice in action.
Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others.”
By this he meant that the light within us, is a reflection of him within us. Because his light is in us, “Our holiness blesses the world.” That is the central idea of ACIM Lesson 37.
As Jesus describes in Matthew 5:14 (below), you can shine like a lamp and offer light to everyone in the room.
Practically speaking, it means you don’t have to preach or do anything to make someone feel the light.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says,“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:14 NIV
A Daily Challenge for Demon Spotters
However, when you are in the room, your light is available to others, as long as — and this is the part that needs to be managed — you feel comfortable, safe and secure.
This exercise — staying peaceful no matter what — is a daily challenge for a Demon Spotter. Because when someone ruffles your feathers or yanks your chain, engaging with the aggravation adjusts the amount of light that you shine. Less light is available.
And as long as spiritual warfare exists on this planet, there’s always going to be a fool in the room who wants to dim your light.
When you’re pulled off your stoic position, a door closes (your heart hardens), and you disconnect from heavenly guidance and protection.
A good ACIM student notices the shift in their mood, connects with Holy Spirit for back-up, and then says, “My holiness (innocence) blesses you, (person’s name).”
That’s a good practice for keeping yourself calm.
Remember that you represent an authority greater than yourself. Hold your position. Stay neutral and calm. Bless the space by showing up in your King’s Guard uniform. After all, you there to represent the King, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Hold your position. Peace, be still.
Don’t sleep on this practice. Because, contrary to how it looks, you’re blessing the difficult person for your own sake — not theirs. Your goal is to protect your peace. (Forgiveness works the same way, as it softens YOUR heart.)
In fact, you’re actually fighting by staying peaceful, demonstrating that your position is strong. Your unshakable stance indicates that Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are in your corner (prepared with a stool and a bucket for your between-rounds conference).
That’s the “my holiness blesses you” practice in action. You don’t have to engage every demon that walks up to test you. You hold your post. The blessing flows from your stance, regardless of their behavior.
Most importantly, staying calm in the face of people acting stupid or causing chaos allows you to remain in the River of Grace, and not get pulled into the River of Shame.
In Demon Spotting language that looks like:
- Spot the demon — extra points for identifying the code word that fits the occasion,
- Say a blessing or a prayer for the person,
- Stay in the River of Grace.
A Course in Miracles (ACIM), Lesson 37 video
After listening to today’s ACIM video lesson, take a look at the YouTube video description section. Lots of free (and paid) resources and classes taught by Nouk and Coreen are listed there.
My holiness blesses the world. ACIM Lesson 37
A Course In Miracles (ACIM): Workbook Lesson 37 (full text – free to read)
Gwyneth Ragsdale is the creator of Demon Spotting™ and founder of DramaGuru Academy. In 2017, Jesus urged her to walk away from New Age practices. With Holy Spirit’s guidance, she built a practical framework for spiritual warfare — revealing the patterns of demons who interfere with you and your loved ones.
Demon Spotting is designed to help you discern whose voice you’re following.
Following God’s voice leads to forgiveness.
Listening to demons lands you in sticky traps.
To learn how to escape those traps, please come and find me.
Tweet me! @thatgirlisfunny or @DemonSpotting
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