Odin, Tyr, and Thor
They are meant to inspire us to be better.
We often ask our Gods to grant us things like the knowledge, or strength, to overcome a given hardship, and they grant it. What happens though when our Gods begin to present us with requests of their own, and we stop answering them? What happens when they present us with a situation where a hard choice, or some simple action is required of us, and we choose to do nothing simply because it's easier? The answer is one that we need only to take a very basic look around, and the society crumbling around us tells us exactly how we have begun to fail them.
Our Gods Need Us To Be Both Wise and Strong.
Odin is the god of community, and societal order. Thor is the God of tradesmen, from farmers, to builders, and fishermen. Tyr is the god of Law, and Justice. Frigg is the mother, and matriarch. While Freya is mystically imbued with the wild warrior woman spirit. Each of them represent a piece of our inner strength. When we keep the order, and maintain our farms, fishing vessels, and the law, the Gods are pleased. When we stop doing the right thing, they may just stop granting our requests. Our gods after all are not charitable, and only help those that help themselves.
The lessons that we learn from them in the Eddas, are meant to guide us through this complex and often difficult life. They help us to not only understand the nuance and complexity of life’s lessons both large and small, but to also face them with confidence. We are all made from a bunch of little pieces, some of a poet, a warrior, and a wise teacher. When one of those portions of our self is in need of strength, wisdom, or council, we will seek it from the corresponding God.
Occasionally there is a task or mission that all of the little pieces of us are sure of, and are ready to boldly and fearlessly take on. Things that must be fixed and compel us to act. This could be an assigned or given task, or one that we feel very strongly about, and inspired to take on as our very own. We do not need the gods to give us a sign to act when we see a child, a woman, or a pet being beaten. We just act in order to help them. In these situations we often find, that we are capable of far greater things than we ever imagined. Something strange has happened in the last decade though. Whatever it is, has caused people to stop helping. Instead, they pull out camera phones and begin recording, when what they should be doing is taking action. Whether that action is saving a woman from being assaulted, or just feeding the starving pet of a neglectful neighbor, it's still a step in the right direction.
How Did Society Get Here ?
With the easy going and soft people of the world that have been programmed then placed around us, many of us seem to have gotten soft as well. If it continues, we as Pagans may be the next group to become equally complacent. We all know there are a few whole religions now, who have evolved to accept things that are far beyond what their texts say is acceptable. Like all of the sudden, one or two of the seven deadly sins were just overlooked. Then consider the fact that a whole nation is based on that faith, it changes the way that everything there is looked at, when the church starts “okaying” foul things. From the way people act in public, to the way laws are enforced, the whole system shifts. When that happens it goes from everyone is equal under the law, to we can't arrest them because they have “protected” status. But the people who were born here that are doing the same bad things, will face life in prison. It also creates a chain reaction of other problems, that is far too long to list. Just from the simple act of a religion changing standards because of the pressure of a societal minority group, the whole system changes to suit them. This is not how our Gods intended for us to live, and we don't have to continue pretending it's okay.
There are those who walk around shrouded in victimhood, like it’s a layer of bubble wrap. If we continue on like them, we will also lose some of those strong community traits. With the loss of those traits, we cast aside the very Gods that strengthen us. We can not let this happen again. We know the immediate consequences already, and given what we see throughout history we know where the societal, and religious decay leads.
To stop cycle of destruction, we need only to do the right thing. We don't have to go conquer gang leaders, and claim their territory, or try to overthrow a communist regime on our own. Instead, we simply have to say hello to our neighbors, and if we see them in need of help we offer it up. When we do little things like this, those neighbors we help other neighbors who will in turn do the same. Etc. etc. Fairly soon the whole community becomes stronger. So go out there and practice living the way that our gods intended you to. The modern notion that one person can't make a big positive change, is utter bullshit.
All change is started with one person taking a single step in the right direction.
Be that person.