This is a Free Will Universe. Humankind’s gift from the Divine is that of choice. Without it, we would have nothing to choose against. We can make choices to prioritize our animal nature, or we can make spiritual choices. You can either make the choices of your five-year-old self, or you can make choices based on your Path.

To be truly spiritual, to live life as a spiritual being, is to use your will appropriately. For growth or for stagnation. The freedom to think through any given action, to analyze outcomes, and choose which is for the greatest good for all those involved, that is to live spiritually. This is the gift that humanity has been given — the ability to consider the rest of humanity, and to make choices based on that.

If you just move through your life based on instinct and what feels good at the time, you are no different than an insect or a plant. What really differentiates you from those things is the power to analyze and make choices, to consider the options from a spiritual point of view.

Take the opportunity today to consider how your actions benefit or harm those around you. Start with something simple. Start with breakfast. What did you have for breakfast? How was that provided? Who benefited? Who was harmed? Do research if you need to in order to find the answers. Do these answers affect your choices going forward?

This post is part of a series called Monday Message, based on that day’s reflection from 365 Days to Enlightenment (authorized versions are currently out of print, working on a new edition). Check back next Monday for another one! You can also sign up for the Daily Message on my mailing list if you’d like to receive a new reflection every day. I also often post them to Instagram and Twitter, if either of those is a medium you enjoy.