Title Celebrate Life
Galatians (21) Celebrate life (Galatians 4:16-20)
<Beware of heresy>
Be extremely careful of heresy. When someone says something strange, pay attention to the intent of the person who said it and try to figure out why they say it. Of course, it is not right to condemn someone as a heresy according to your own standards, but you cannot accept a heresy generously. Even heresy doesn't look like a heresy on the outside, and she says that she is not a heresy. But would a heresy call itself a heresy? So you have to be more careful.
A cartoon depicts an elephant entering a small room. When an elephant first enters a small space, it does not say “I am an elephant, let’s go in a little bit” from the beginning. At first, they say, “Let’s go through my nose!” So, when the door opens a little, it says, “We went all the way to the nose, but let’s go in a little more.” Everyone comes in like that and shakes their bodies, and the whole thing falls into chaos.
Heretics usually come in that way. At first, he hides his identity and speaks. “Where shall we go to study the Bible? Where shall we go to heal? Where shall we go to prophesy? Where can we go for an interpretation?” Therefore, in order to avoid heresy, it is better not to set foot in an organization that hides its identity.
Also, it is beneficial to God not to go to places where humans other than Jesus are revealed. A place that promotes “Lord of Power!” gives strength to the soul, but a place that promotes “Servant of Power!” takes the soul. How many people struggle to find a servant of great power and, once set foot in the wrong place, have their nose stung and their souls stolen and killed?
< Celebrate your life >
In particular, verse 19 teaches us what true education is. A true education is an education that makes you feel the mystery and wonder of life. In other words, the most important education is education that fosters sensitivity to life. How grateful we are to know that when we serve a meal, the whole universe participates in it until it is set before us. It is the thought that it is “natural” to prevent gratitude. But nothing is obvious.
Realize your worth and at the same time realize that you are in debt. Clinging to competition weakens your self-esteem. Because they perceive defeat in competition as a failure in life. However, even poor people are precious beings created in the image of God. When you realize it, you do not fall into excessive self-pity, and on the contrary, you do not fall into excessive self-arrogance.
Celebrate and live your life in God. The first miracle Jesus performed was the miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. That means life turns into a festival where the Lord is. The festival cannot be enjoyed alone. A festival unfolds when you welcome others into your life and you are willing to share in the joys and sorrows of others. Like the Apostle Paul, when you suffer childbirth for someone else, the spirit of despair will disappear and the energy of hope will unfold.
Today, the world is increasingly becoming a wasteland of humanity. We need people who sow the seeds of true humanity in this wasteland. Be one of those who expand the kingdom of heaven through love, service, care, and prayer in a world where the talk of competition and success is overwhelmingly dominated. As long as there is such a person, there is always hope. Be blessed spirits who make stories of victory through love, service, faith and prayer.