23. 
HOW TO EFFECT CHANGES IN THE WORLD

(B)  IN THE OLD TV SERIES "KUNG FU," WHEN QUI CHANG CANE
(GRASSHOPPER) WAS A YOUNGSTER LIVING IN THE SHOU LIN TEMPLE, HE
WAS SENT TO THE MARKET AT THE NEARBY VILLAGE.  ON THE WAY HE WAS
JUMPED BY HIGHWAYMEN WHO TRIED TO ROB HIM.  AN OLD MAN JUMPED OUT
AND FOUGHT OFF THE ROBBERS, THUS SAVING "GRASSHOPPER."
     GRASSHOPPER ASKED, "WHY DID YOU SAVE ME, OLD MAN?"
     THE OLD MAN REPLIED, "BECAUSE I WAS ONCE SAVED BY A STRANGER, 
WHEN I WAS YOUNG."
     "OLD MAN, HOW CAN I EVER REPAY YOU?"
     "I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION OF THE STRANGER WHO SAVED ME.  THE
STRANGER TOLD ME TO DO A GOOD DEED FOR TEN OTHERS AND ASK EACH
OF THEM TO DO THE SAME, AND SO SPREAD GOODNESS ACROSS THE FACE
OF THE EARTH."
     I BELIEVE THAT THE WAY TO CHANGE THE WORLD WE LIVE IN IS TO
CHANGE IT, ONE PERSON AT A TIME.  I TRY TO BE AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS
WHO HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED SPIRITUALITY.  IF THEY ARE INTERESTED, I
WILL TRY TO HELP THEM TO OPEN THEIR EYES, HEARTS, AND MINDS TO THE
POSSIBILITY THAT MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT LOVES AND
CARES ABOUT THEM, AND IS WORKING IN THEIR LIVES.  I DO THIS THE SAME
WAY MY SPIRITUAL ADVISOR DID IT TO ME, BY ASKING THEM TO LOOK FOR
GOD INSTANCES.  FINALLY, THEY CAN HAVE ANY UNDERSTANDING OR
MISUNDERSTANDING OF GOD THEY WANT, MINE, OR ANY OTHER ONE THEY
CAN FIND, OR MAKE ONE UP, IF IT WORKS FOR THEM, IT'S FINE WITH ME.  GOD
WILL CHANGE OR EXPAND THAT UNDERSTANDING, AS GOD SEES FIT, ONCE
THEY START ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH AND ARE WILLING TO LEARN FROM GOD.
     ANYTIME I HELP PEOPLE AND THEY SEEM INTERESTED, I TELL THEM THE
STORY ABOUT "GRASSHOPPER" AND THE OLD MAN WHO SAVED HIM.  I
ALWAYS TELL THEM IT IS UP TO THEM.  I WILL NOT KEEP TRACK OF THEM, IF
THEY WISH TO TAKE UP THE TASK OF SPREADING GOODNESS ACROSS THE
FACE OF THE EARTH.  ONE LAST THOUGHT ON THIS SUBJECT, I STOPPED
COUNTING AFTER I REACHED TEN, I LIKED THE IDEA OF SPREADING
GOODNESS ACROSS THE FACE OF THE EARTH, SO MUCH.