Birds of a Feather

The old adage, "Birds of a feather flock together," is a very interesting one, and it can be applied to many things besides birds. "Thoughts of a feather" can also "flock together." Of course, we all know that thoughts do not have feathers, but thoughts do seek out, and cling to, others like themselves. When we recognize this fact, and realize that thinking is our only creative power, then, we begin to see that we do have control over our own destiny.

In Matthew, 25^th chapter, 29^th verse, we are told: "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away." [ASV] I know that many persons resent the implications of this, and they say, "Why should the person with only a little be stripped of this, to add the wealth of the person who already has more than enough? It’s just not fair!" You see, this quotation is nothing more than a statement of Universal Law. It is dealing with "The Law of Attraction." Have you ever noticed that, when you are happy, everyone around you seems happy, and when you are gloomy, the faces around you seem dark? Simply stated, happiness attracts happiness, and gloom attracts gloom. The consciousness of success attracts success. The consciousness of failure attracts failure.

One time, a little child was very ill. The doctor had no hope for the child’s recovery. He stood by her bed, and he shook his head. "Just a matter of hours," he predicted. So, another doctor was contacted, and was soon at the child’s bedside. He had a look of confidence and a cheerful manner. His hand was firm on the child’s wrist as he took her pulse, and it seemed that some of his strength and his confidence flowed through to her. He didn’t shake his head. He didn’t have any direful outlook. If he had doubts as to the child’s recovery, he kept them entirely to himself—and probably kept it totally out of his mind. He said, "Well, you are a pretty sick girl. But, with your help, we’re gonna pull you through. And, I want you to remember that you are going to get well. You are going to get well!" The child promised to do all that she could. When this doctor came again during the week, he reiterated the same statement, "You are going to get well!" He made the child, somehow, feel that he was depending on her, and he knew she wouldn’t let him down. So, her attitude, and that of her family, totally changed from despair to hope…and finally, to certainty of recovery. It was wrought by the same Law, "birds of a feather flock together," the Law of Attraction. The gloomy predictions of one doctor had drawn all hope from the child; and under that "cloud of darkness," the child probably would never have survived. The cheerful confidence of the other doctor renewed her hold on life, giving her a thread of hope, to which she could cling; and she was healed…completely! God’s Law of Attraction brought more and more confidence and strength—this was the result of consciousness being expressed in a beautiful way. A marvelous thing to behold, of course!

We should be grateful for Universal Law, "unto everyone that hath shall be given," because, in this Law, lies the key to all that life has to offer. The Whole of anything is nothing more than the sum of its parts. These parts are held together by attraction. Each particle acts as a magnet and draws to itself similar particles. Suppose that you have two similar groups of particles—one, large, and the other, small. Which group do you suppose will have the greater pulling power? Of course, the larger one. Suppose, the smaller group is subjected to the pulling power of the larger group; particles of the lesser group may well be pulled away from their own group and will be added to the larger, so that all the particles are finally in one group.

This magnetism may also be applied to the mental and spiritual realm. Our thoughts are magnetic; they draw similar thoughts. Good thoughts attract more good thoughts. Limited, erroneous, bad thoughts attract more that are limited, erroneous, and bad. When we realize that in our thought lies the only creative power that we have, and that our world is the result of our thinking, then we begin to see how very important it is for us to think correctly. Every good thought that is held over a period of time draws to itself other good thoughts. Constructive thoughts flock around the nucleus of the first good thought…and the more that come, the stronger the drawing force. The more one thinks constructive, harmonious thoughts, the more ideas for attainment will come, and the person eventually will attain the good that he or she is seeking.

Suppose, some of us think happy, constructive thoughts one day and sad, anxious thoughts the next day. The two sets of opposed particles of thought pull against each other, and our good is either swallowed up in the gloom of the destructive thoughts or, at best, is kept from accomplishing anything for us. We tend to think destructive thoughts with more feeling. This gives them greater strength. All of us must keep our thoughts positive all the time. If we are going to make the kind of headway that we desire, we must endow our thoughts with life, by strongly believing that they are true. Wishy-washy thinking will get us nowhere!

We do not need to be the victims of capricious thinking. We should not enjoy happiness and peace one day, and plow through a storm the next day. We can direct our thinking so as to invite the favorable conditions that we desire and rest assured that they will come. "Birds of a feather flock together," and each "flock" draws its own. Friendliness brings friends. Cheerfulness brings cheer. A loving heart draws the love of others. And, of course, the same is true of gloom and hate and despair.

A person’s thoughts always tend to determine what he or she is. The Real Self is not made of flesh and blood but, rather, of Spirit. A person’s outer world is simply a looking glass, wherein he sees according to his thoughts. In the same thing, one person sees beauty, another sees ugliness. The second individual is one who grumbles that the good things of life have passed him by. The good things have bypassed him, although they, always, have been just as available to him as to all others—he simply has not helped himself to their abundance. In other words, actually, he has passed them by.

If you are sick or lonely or fearful or poor, then stop and take a look at yourself. What kind of thoughts have you been thinking? "Well, I’ll never be well again, the doctor says." And, "I’ll always have trouble with my back." Or, "I wish I could have a vacation, but I probably never will." Or, perhaps, "I’ve always been poor; I suppose that’s the way it has to be for me." Do your thoughts move in this vein? These kind of thoughts—the "foes…of his [your] own household" [Matt. 10:36]—are the culprits that are keeping you from your good. Have nothing to do with them! Eliminate them! Turn away from them! Deny them! Before you can hope for improvement in your life, you will have to get rid of negative thoughts, which are occupying the places in your mind that should be filled by friendly, helpful Laws of Mind Action.

After we remove unwanted thoughts, we all must let in the Sunshine of God’s Love and Peace and Joy, and refuse to let negative, unwanted thoughts to return…ever again! Oh, it’s a big order, and it is not done easily. But, that’s the commitment we must make. That’s the work that we must put ourselves to, because, whatever your lot in life may be, it is yours, because you have created, by your thoughts, the circumstances that make up your surroundings. And, you can change these conditions by changing your thoughts.

At first, it may not be easy to keep your thoughts at work creating the things you want, because thinking is really hard work for most of us. It is much easier to let the thoughts run wild, and then to feel sorry for our selves. But, wild-running thoughts, like wild-running children, seldom grow up to amount to anything.

So if you want to make your life worthwhile, "corral" your thoughts, and image the conditions you want. Each image, held steadily in mind, draws to itself more and more images of like nature. Like the planted seed that draws from the soil the nourishment it needs for growth, the image in your mind draws on Universal Mind for its Substance, until it comes out into your life and begins to manifest in beautiful, wonderful ways. Loving, harmonious thoughts will bring reflections in the mirror of life that will delight you…absolutely delight you! Unpleasant situations will clear up like magic. And, the wealth and health that have so long eluded you will come and "purr like a kitten at your feet." Loneliness, too, will pass away, because loving thoughts bring friends without end.

You cannot have things in the world until you first image and claim them in your mind. In creation, the mental image always precedes the physical counterpart. The more good you create, the more good you attract—more faith, more love, more confidence. You will no longer resent "The Law of Giving and Taking Away," because you will have learned to put it to work for you, and it will no longer work against you.

© Eric Butterworth