“Today I learn to give as I receive.” – ACIM Lesson 158
You have already received the truth of what you are—holy, whole, and forever united with God. What remains is to extend that truth by how you see others. Vision—not of the body, but of the light within—is how you give what you have received. This vision sees innocence, not error; unity, not separation. Each encounter becomes an opportunity to remember and to share the peace of God by seeing as Christ sees.
There is a sacred exchange that underlies all true seeing. It does not have to be earned or created. It is already complete. We are invited into a practice of remembering what was given, and letting that shape how we see.
Lesson 158 begins by asking what has been given to you. The answer is simple and complete—you are a mind within the Mind of God, sinless and whole. This truth was given at your creation and has never been withdrawn.
“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27.)
If this is true, then you remain as you were created. The image of God cannot be changed by time, error, or illusion.
The lesson says this knowledge cannot be learned. It was given, and it is shared with all creation. What you are learning to give is not knowledge but vision. Christ’s vision sees what God sees.
“For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9.)
We do not make this light. We become aware of it. We learn to see it everywhere.
Vision is the bridge. It joins the world we made with the light of what is eternal. Isaiah spoke of one who would bring light to the people, opening eyes that had been blind to truth:
“I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand . . . to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison.” (Isaiah 42:6–7.)
Vision brings release through recognition of what is eternally true. It shines light where truth has always been present, regardless of appearances.
Lesson 158 teaches that the journey is already complete. Time only appears to move forward. From a deeper view, we are looking back on what is already accomplished. Paul hints at this when he writes:
“It is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:6.)
Vision sees what is true in every heart. It overlooks form and appearance. It beholds the holiness that cannot be lost. The Course says: “Christ’s vision has one law. It does not look upon a body, and mistake it for the Son whom God created.”
This is what John affirms:
“He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” (1 John 2:10.)
Love and vision are not separate. To see someone as the Son of God is to give what God has given.
Jesus prayed that we may recognize our shared Source:
“That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You… that they may be made perfect in one.” (John 17:21–23.)
Each time we greet another without judgment, we return to this unity. Each time we recognize the light in a brother, we recognize it in ourselves.
Lesson 158 says: “Each brother whom you meet today provides another chance to let Christ’s vision shine on you, and offer you the peace of God.”
And the psalmist reminds us:
“With You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.” (Psalm 36:9.)
This is the practice. This is the gift. This is what it means to give as you receive.
🌿 Reflections
What do I truly believe I am?
How does that shape the way I see others?
Can I believe there something in me that is already whole—already held in light?
What happens in my experience when I stop trying to fix or evaluate?
What opens when I simply notice?
Am I willing to trust that I have already been given everything I need?
What would it mean to see someone today without past or future—just as they are, right now?
