Wisdom of Life A Checklist for Self-realization
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August 18, 2013 |
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Both glasses A and B seem to have clean water at a glance, but some sand and pebbles lie in the bottom of the glass A (See the left picture). When the water in the two glasses is stirred up with a spoon, the water in the glass A becomes dirty, and that in the glass B stays clean and pure (See the right picture). It brings to us realization that we too can be clean, pure, and good in any circumstance only after we cast off all the many kinds of evil in our hearts.
"Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).
"But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15-16).
Our heavenly Father God wants His loving children to be perfect and holy. Then, as wise believers what do we have to do? We need to try hard to discover ourselves grounded in the Word of God; fight against the sins that are discovered to the point of shedding blood; and we must cast away every form of evil. Then, let us check ourselves again through the following listing of self-realization.
1. Do you comply with the wishes of others in peace?
Although they burst out in anger, some people justify their resentment or resort to excuses. Some of them speak flatly from hard-feeling. What if we have no anger in us at all? What kind of words and deeds would we say and show, then? We would neither say things nor show deeds if they are things that God hates. We would also understand and try to comply with the wishes of others. We would have peace and adapt ourselves to them as long as it does not belong to the untruth even if their ideas or actions do not agree with ours or even they are giving us disadvantage.
2. Do you maintain peace with all men and unchangingly work faithfully?
If you feel uncomfortable with your coworkers and their shortcomings are readily visible to you, it shows that you harbor ill-feelings. However, after casting away all kinds of ill-feelings you can have peace with all men and their strong points become visible to you. Also, after removing the ill-feelings you harbored, then you will be able to rejoice, feel happy, and unchangingly work faithfully even if you receive no recognition for your contributions.
3. Do you rejoice when others are praised and can you offer praise together with them?
If you don't love others it means that hatred still exists. Love is revealed as a proof in those who have cast away hatred. So, they can feel joyful without any jealousy and envy when their loving persons are complimented. Jealousy comes from hatred. So, we can check if we have hatred and if it has been perfectly removed by seeing if we feel happy and also praise when other people receive praise and recognition.
4. Do you always speak honestly?
If you fail to be honest, though you have no intention to tell a lie, it demonstrates you still have a lying heart. Say you said to someone a week ago, "I feel so joyous learning the Word of God and I will diligently arm myself with the Word." But you are not doing it. Then, you need to tell the truth to him. Thus, we should look closely at ourselves and after such a remark has been made, we should take care of it.
5. Do you look at the strengths of others?
Passing judgment is generally accompanied by slandering, measuring, comparing and condemnation. In order to see if we have a desire to pass judgment on others, we can think about how much we are trying to see others' strength and praise it. Of course, some of you do not ponder upon others' shortcomings and speak ill of them, either. But if you often see others' shortcomings it means that the attribute to judge others is still in you. Those who see others' good points and give praises cannot judge or condemn them.
6. Do you keep your promises without fail even if they seem trivial?
One with a heart of changing breaks promises with others as well as with themselves and plainly changes the plan. Even some of them frequently shift in their vow made before God. We can get rid of such a changing heart when we try to keep all promise from seemingly trivial ones to the most important. Above all, we must not make an imprudent vow or decision before God. We can cast away such an attribute when we decide with discretion before making a promise with not only God but also with men and then fulfill what we promised to do even if it might cause disadvantage or even harm to us.
7. How much do you fill your heart and thoughts with the love of the Lord?
The Lord says that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart as recorded in Matthew 5:27-28. We must uproot adultery both in heart and thought as well as deeds. If you still look at the opposite-sex thinking they are pretty or handsome, if you are envious of good-looking couples, and if you are feeling lonely, you need to check the adultery in you. You should fill your hearts with love for the Lord.
8. How much do you feel content and take delight in giving?
Desire gives birth to sins. Without desire and greed we will not feel jealous of what others have and sins are not 'born'. This is because we do not have desire to possess or enjoy more in the first place. If you do not have greed you can be content in whatever circumstances you are in and you will enjoy giving things to others. You can rejoice and give thanks even if you have not yet received what you asked of God.
9. Do you pay back the grace you have received without forgetting it?
If you are inconsistent in your heart and deeds to advance your own interest, it is craftiness and it demonstrates you still have the heart of betrayal. What should we do not to forget about the grace God has given to us and to keep repaying it? We have to check if we want to seek our own benefits or, if we have arrogance. We must try to remember the people who have extended grace to us at all times.
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