Too much of everything is bad

Fill your bowl to the brim
and it will spill.
Keep sharpening your knife
and it will blunt.
Chase after money and security
and your heart will never unclench.
Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.
The only path to serenity.

By Lao-tzu

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Blaming Satan for our Misfortune

We often blame 'Satan' or our perceived 'enemies' for our misfortune. What does blaming others do for us in those moments? It blinds us from seeing the mistakes we made which may have contributed to our misfortune. Because we cannot see what we did wrong, we are unable to learn any lesson. Because we are unable to learn from our mistake, we will keep making the same mistake again and again and we ...will keep blaming 'Satan' and our 'enemies' again and again.

In such circumstance, who is our real enemy?

Before you rush to answer this question, I want you to read the following quote by Epictetus, a first century slave turned philosopher.

"It is the act of an ill-instructed man to blame others for his own bad condition; it is the act of one who has begun to be instructed, to lay the blame on himself; and of one whose instruction is completed, neither to blame another, nor himself."

Lent starts tomorrow

Lent starts tomorrow. What could you do for the next 40 days that might make a little difference in the life of a vulnerable child? You could spiritually adopt one in your community and pray for his/her parents/carers every day for 40 days.

Temptation is an opportunist

It takes just one action and a few moments of indiscretion to destroy a reputation that took you twenty or more years of hard work and discipline to build. This reminds me of the biblical story of David and Bathsheba. The illicit relationship might also have influenced the author of the book of James which made him to think that “each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away... and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:14-15. Temptation is an opportunist. It comes at the most unexpected moments. Those are moments of personal indiscretion. When it comes, only by grace can you escape it. That is why I believe it is easier to avoid temptation than to resist it.

Do you really think you can be in another person's shoes?

To be in another person's shoes is easier said than done. I proved this statement to myself last week. I wanted to be in the shoes of a blind friend.
The task looked simple at first. It was to make two cups of tea while wearing blindfold goggles. First, I had to find my way, blindfolded, to the kitchen from the living room. In the kitchen, I managed to locate the electric kettle, filled it with water and switched it on. I then managed to find two cups, two tea bags, teaspoon, sugar and milk.
Even with the benefit of familiarity of what was where, I had to remove the goggles before I could complete the task.
I now know better that trying to be in another person's shoes is much easier said than done.

Truth can be very bitter, we hardly ever accept it

Oftentimes, truth can be very bitter. But we hardly ever accept the truth. So, whenever you see two or more members of a family coming out of a closed door meeting laughing hysterically and holding each other’s hand, don’t be fooled. One of them has succeeded in fooling the others.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God

We spend a great deal of our time on earth striving for what to eat, where to sleep, how to mate and how to defend. The irony of life is, even animals and insects do all of ‘these things’, if not better. But because Jesus most probably knew the things that make human beings different from animals and insects, He did not fail to advise us to “seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all ‘these things’ shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33. Lent is a great opportunity to reflect on ‘these things.’