Title: The Root of Inner Blessing
< Root of Inner Blessing >
If a magician has mastered the art of handling a snake and is bitten by a snake before he has used that skill, he cannot use that skill (verse 11). No matter how good your skills are, they are of no use if you get a puncture in a soul problem or a fundamental problem in life. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the underlying problem. If the root of the inner blessing is not strong, it will disappear quickly even if the blessing is given. What kind of life is needed to make sure the roots of blessings are firmly rooted?
1. Love your neighbor
If you harm others, you will be harmed yourself (verses 8-9). If you try to kill others, you die first; if you try to save others, you live first. Therefore, when you pray for blessings, pray that you will open your eyes to the love of God and the love of your neighbor. If you open your eyes to God's love, believe that the world can be changed by love, and live by practicing love, your soul will become stronger.
When Mahatma Gandhi of India was 15 years old, he stole a piece of gold from his brother's bracelet. To overcome that guilt, one day, he confessed his sins to his father in a letter. Then my father got up quietly from the bed, read the letter, wept and tore it up. From that look, Gandhi felt the message of his father's forgiveness. And from that day on, he always remembered the love in his father's tears and tried to live righteously. Only love can change the world dramatically. The more I care about the soul of my neighbor, the stronger my soul will be.
2. A life of prayer
Sharpening the blade of the ax makes the work easier (verse 10). So don't waste your time sharpening the axe. In a spiritual sense, the Sunday worship time is the time to sharpen the axe to win the life of the week, and the morning prayer time is also the time to sharp the axe to win the daily life. It is important to work hard, but before that, you need to set aside time for worship and prayer to increase the efficiency of your work and ultimately become the basis for a successful life.
If you work hard and do good deeds, but there is no fruit, you become discouraged. Why does doing good cause discouragement? Because you are trying to do it on your own. Good works are usually done by reversing human instinct, so God must give us the strength to continue doing them. The inflow of that power is through prayer. When you are exhausted and unable to find time, make more time for prayer. Only when we reflect ourselves in the mirror of God's will and words through prayer will God's power flow into our hearts, and from then on, the amazing power and creative wisdom that overcomes the world will appear.
3. Words of wisdom
A wise man speaks graciously, but a fool speaks rudely and ultimately ruins his life (verse 12). A foolish person who speaks carelessly will not say anything good from beginning to end (verse 13). Words are habits. Then it becomes the body. Therefore, keep training to say good words so that good words become a part of your body. If the habit of speaking wrongly becomes a habit, eventually that life will be defeated.
Talking a lot makes mistakes, but talking too much isn't all bad. It is okay to say many good words, such as words of love and words of encouragement. Successful people are usually good at compliments. Those who say that we need to recognize reality right away are always alone, who say they feel more frustrated than courageous. For example, don't say you've ended your life when you retire. Moses started doing great things at the age of 80, and Caleb took Hebron at the age of 85.
Say lots of nice things, but less self-promotion or teaching. Furthermore, listen carefully to those who prophesy as if they knew the future, or who speak as if only they knew everything. Solomon says that those who say they know the future are fools who do not understand the daily routine of entering the city (verse 15). How much would a person know? Now, discern your words so that you don't fall for a fool and become even more foolish. Real wisdom is knowing your own shortcomings.