Wisdom calls out in the street!

 

This blog is intended to explore some fascinating information on man’s scientific, medicinal and universal inventions that has its roots in the Bible. Solomon the wisest king who wrote the book of Proverbs in the Bible refers to the call of wisdom in this brilliant manner, “Wisdom calls out in the street; she makes her voice heard in the public squares. She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates: “How long, inexperienced  ones, will you love ignorance? How long will you mockers enjoy mocking and you fools hate knowledge?”.  We all have our own worldview when it comes to God and finding our destiny. Usually, it is derived from the religious world view, and we accept it as religion dictates.

The excerpt from the Bible that you read above challenges every person to find out the wisdom and knowledge that can be valued and relied upon. The Bible is still number one best-selling book in the world which is found in most of the languages in the world. As of August 2025, the full Bible is available in 776 languages, spoken by 5.75 billion people, while portions of Scripture are available in 1,433 languages for a total of 7.3 billion people having some form of Scripture in their language. Very few people are open to knowing other worldview. But this blog wants to emphasize how this book has contributed so much to universe and science per se. I request you to give a fair chance to knowing some of its contribution. 

Bible is the only sacred book which is called as “The Holy Bible". It addresses the problem of sin including the sins of the human heart and claims Jesus is the only way, the truth and the life; a way to experiencing salvation and the assurance of eternity. Let me emphasize, Christians are not at the mercy of one author to write the entire Bible. The Bible comprises of 40 authors written over a period of 1,500 years who were from three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa. They were some who lived with Jesus and witnessed all that He did, later boldly spoke what they witnessed and were martyred for the faith on Him.  All the 12 disciples who lived with Jesus and witnessed His deeds were martyred for their faith. Why would someone be willing to die for something they believe is not true? This is something we need to give a thought to. 

Bible was the basis of many scientific inventions quoted from this book “The Scientific Facts From The Bible” by Ray Comfort.

The Bible and Earth’s Free-float in Space

At a time when it was believed that the earth sat on a large animal or a giant (1500 B.C.),

the Bible spoke of the earth’s free float in space: “He . . . hangs the earth upon nothing” (Job 26:7 Bible ). Science didn’t discover that the earth hangs upon nothing until1650.

 

The Scriptures Speak of an Invisible Structure

Only in recent years has science discovered that everything we see is composed of things that we cannot see—invisible atoms. In Hebrews 11:3 Bible, written 2,000 years ago, Scripture tells us that the “things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”

 

Book of Genesis (Bible) and the Universe

Science expresses the universe in five terms: “time”, “space”, “matter”, “power,” and “motion”. Genesis 1:1,2 (Bible) perfectly revealed such truths to the Hebrews in 1450 B.C.: “In the beginning [time] God created [power] the heaven [space] and the earth [matter]. . . And the Spirit of God moved [motion] upon the face of the waters.” The first things God tells man is that He controls all aspects of the universe.

 

The Bible Reveals that the Earth is Round

The Scriptures tell us that the earth is round: “It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth” (Isaiah 40:22 Bible). The word translated “circle” here is the Hebrew word “chuwg”, which is also translated “circuit” or “compass” (depending on the context). That is, it indicates something spherical, rounded, or arched—not something that is flat or square. The book of Isaiah author from the Bible was written sometime between 740 and 680 B.C. This is at least 300 years before Aristotle suggested, in his book ‘On the Heavens’, that the earth might be a sphere. It was another 2,000 years later (at a time when science believed that the earth was flat) that the Scriptures inspired Christopher Columbus to sail around the world.

 

The Bible and the Science of Oceanography

Matthew Maury (1806–1873) is considered the father of oceanography. He noticed the expression “paths of the sea” in Psalm 8:8 (written 2,800 years ago) and said, “If God said there are paths in the sea, I am going to find them.” Maury then took God at His word and went looking for these paths, and we are indebted to his discovery of the warm and cold continental currents. His book on oceanography remains a basic text on the subject and is still used in universities.

The Bible and Radio Waves

God asked Job (character from the Bible) a very strange question in 1500 B.C. He asked, “Can you send lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, Here we are?” (Job 38:35). This appears to be a scientifically ludicrous statement—that light can be sent and then manifest itself in speech. But did you know that all electromagnetic radiation from radio waves to x-rays—travels at the speed of light? This is why you can have instantaneous wireless communication with someone on the other side of the earth. The fact that light could be sent and then manifest itself in speech wasn’t discovered by science until 1864 (3,300 years later), when “British scientist James Clerk Maxwell suggested that electricity and light waves were two forms of the same thing” (Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia).

The Bible and Entropy

Three different places in the Bible (Isaiah 51:6; Psalm 102:25,26; and Hebrews 1:11 Bible) indicate that the earth is wearing out. This is what the Second Law of Thermodynamics (the Law of Increasing Entropy) states: that in all physical processes, every ordered system over time tends to become more disordered. Everything is running down and wearing out as energy is becoming less and less available for use. That means the universe will eventually “wear out” to the extent that (theoretically speaking) there will be a “heat death” and therefore no more energy available for use. This wasn’t discovered by science until recently, but the Bible states it in concise terms.

There are so many other  things that culminated to inventions. The Medical science and the Bible for example cites many such areas example:

• The Bible and the Correlation of Mind and Body
• Insight of Bacteria from the Bible
• The Bible and the fat intake
• The Bible and immune system
• The Bible and the law of quarantine

You may want to grab a Bible and read the New Testament with the open mind to understand God’s plan for your life and experience Jesus who transforms life from inside-out

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A Lonely Journey with Self!

 

Have you noticed people who just live for themselves and have nothing to do with people around them? Sometimes you would assume such people need not have anything to do with you because they are strangers. But what if they happen to be one of your family members or your loved one? For example, spouses, children, siblings and close friends who turn out to be selfish and indifferent.

We live in a world where people use one another at their fullest convenience including your own people. Every act turns out to be selfish and you wonder if they even care. It all starts right from a very young age where babies learn to have it their own way. Though I have cited this study several times earlier in my blogs, I want to refer to it once again. Minnesota Crime commission puts their observation beautifully, " Every baby starts life as a little savage. He is completely selfish and self-centered: he wants what he wants—his bottle, his mother's attention, his playmate's toys, his uncle's watch, or whatever. Deny him these and he seethes with rage and aggressiveness which would be murderous were he not so helpless. He is dirty; he has no morals, no knowledge and no developed skills. This means that all children, not just certain children, but all children are born delinquent. If permitted to continue in their self-centered world of infancy, given free reign to their impulsive actions to satisfy each want—every child would grow up a criminal, a killer, a thief, and a rapist." 

When it comes to children, parents most of the time tolerate their folly which makes children assume it's their entitlement. This applies in other relationships too. You wonder why your loved ones don't care how much you love or understand what you go through? Life changes over a period in any relationship. Suddenly one of the parties thinks they no longer need anyone for various reasons. The heart is unpredictable by itself. It can revolt anytime and offend the loved ones without having any guilt. They would come up with sufficient reasons to give you why they behave the way they did.

Human heart is wretched and selfish, controlled by self and ego. People can have no clue how life can change in a split second although to some extent people are aware they don't have a guarantee for their next breath. Yet they behave puffed up with vain pride and arrogance. At times all you can do in such a situation is to allow such person to live by themselves. There is a possibility that consequences of their behavior may alert them but, in the meantime, pray for the change in heart.

Cognitive psychologists talk about emotional tank. They state when it is drained, people react in a particular way and therefore there is a bigger need to ensure it is always filled with love to the brim. But then which love are they referring to? There are different ways to fill that emotional tank. But unless Christ's love fills the human heart, man would continue to  wander and live like a beast. Jesus diagnosing the human heart stated this "For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander. These are the things that defile a person..." (Matthew 15:19-20 Bible) The human heart is an idol factory.  Rosaria Butterfield puts this so nicely, "One very difficult aspect of sin is that my sin never feels like sin to me. My sin feels like life to me, plain and simple. My heart is an idol factory, and my mind is an excuse-making factory.".

If you are that wretched person who cares sporadically, love intermittently, controlled often by mood swings and emotions then you need help. You need a Saviour, a God of love. The Bible states "This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5 Bible). When you make room for this God, the spirit of Jesus Christ will indwell your heart to transform your emotional condition and fill you with love and peace.

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Calculated times!

 

Humans are skilled to calculate how our destiny should turn out to be. We toil, plan, position and move strategically to find ourselves established yet most of the time speculating and striving to make it through our assumptions. We want to believe that each one of us is responsible for making our own destiny. Life is difficult and our options to survive change with time. When the Bible refers to man’s life, it talks about God’s sovereignty and His overall plan for our existence. Here is what it states:

1. Your life period in history: (The time of existence, e.g., which era or period) The period and era we are supposed to exist is determined by God. This means we are privileged to live now in this time frame when millions ceased to exist (Acts 17:26 Bible).
2. Your boundary of existence: The place and area of existence, whether you are from Asia, Europe, Africa even narrowing down to your country, region and the area you live right now. This means our place of birth and our boundaries are determined too according to the Bible (Acts 17:26 Bible).
3. Your life span: In your overall existence, how long you are going to exist on this earth is determined too (Job 14:5 Bible).

The Bible states the fact “since a person’s days are determined and the number of his months depends on you (God) and since you have set limits, he (man) cannot pass.”. This brings me to emphasize the fact that our days are numbered, and no amount of lifestyle change will guarantee eternal life here on earth. Our total existence is a mere portion of time on this earth. Bible does not support rebirth based on our good or bad deeds. Some religion blames the human condition to Karma and rebirth. Who knows what form someone would take on their next birth. If this is true then we would all be under the mercy of the uncertain fate and by this standard even God becomes meaningless. But this is not the case, the Bible gives us clarity that we all will be resurrected for either eternal life with God or for eternal damnation.  Life after death is so certain because only  Jesus in human history rose people from death and He himself after crucification rose again from the grave. And he promised that all who believe in Him and accept him as a savior will be  resurrected but only the destination will be changed based on our commitment.  

The book of Job in the Bible describes God’s sovereign love as, “you put my feet in the stocks and stand watch over all my paths, setting a limit for the soles of my feet” (Job 13:27 Bible). Man’s sin brought  death but through Christ’s resurrection we are given a hope to live again. Jesus did not give just a proposition or a passing statement for human life. He was definite in what He stated and declared. Because of his resurrection the Bible becomes authoritative and stands validated.

We can change our destiny without assuming by getting to know Jesus. The sin and guilt of this fallen world need not overwhelm us. Apostle Paul, one of the authors in the Bible who previously persecuted followers of Christ, states, “He did this so that they might seek God, and perhaps they might reach out and find him, though he is not far from each one of us” (Acts 17:27).

You are destined for an abundant life inclusive of your life after death, i.e. eternity, which Jesus Himself demonstrated by rising from death. The only condition is that we all must pass through the judgement before His throne. The Bible states,“because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising Him (Jesus) from the dead.” And further it also states “Before God and Jesus Christ, I give you a command. Christ Jesus is the one who will judge all people—those who are living and those who have died.”.

He is coming again to establish His kingdom as said in the Bible. Christ Jesus is going to judge the living and the dead. Beloved this means the dead are also going to come to life to face judgement and be part of the eternal kingdom of Christ, as Jesus promised. Do not limit your hope to this life alone or on the fate of uncertain rebirth. Learn to know Christ the resurrected Savior. You will find life enriching and promising. 

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Choosing Between the Two Saviors!

 

“Who is Jesus?” by Greg Gilbert, writes a general point of view in his short book and helps the common man to understand who Jesus was? “Here was a man who claimed to be a prophet, a savior, a king, even God himself—a man whose listeners would have been perfectly justified in chalking him up as a lunatic or a charlatan if only he hadn’t kept on doing things to back those claims up! Then there was the way he treated people in such unexpected ways—compassion to outcasts, wrath to the powerful, and love toward the unlovable. On top of it all, despite his claims, Jesus didn’t act like a king or a god. When he was offered a crown, he refused it, told his followers to keep quiet about who he really was, and talked instead about how the authorities would soon crucify him like a common criminal. But then again, he spoke as if all that were somehow part of his plan all along. Little by little, as they watched him and heard him, Jesus’s followers came to believe that he was more than just an extraordinary man. He was more than a teacher, more than a prophet, more than a revolutionary, even more than a king. As one of them put it to him one night, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” The Most Important Question You’ll Ever Consider So, who is Jesus?”

Now diving into His biography that is found in different books in the Bible we come to know that He was not just God incarnation, but God Himself. He could heal people from any kind of incurable disease, including people who were born blind, born paralytic, born deaf and mute, raising people from dead and healing the most dangerous disease of the time which was leprosy. Hundreds and thousands of people were blessed by Him and followed Him. Bible records that people from Galilee, Judea and from all surrounding towns and villages thronged to see Him, listen to Him and be healed from all the sickness. Jesus never asked His followers to do a set of religious rituals, perform various rites or build a temple for Him, though we have Churches today where Christ followers gather to worship Him. He was demanding people to repent from all their sinful behavior, receive forgiveness from their sins and promised eternal life (life after death) through Him. 

The interesting information you would find in the Bible which also records that many stopped following Jesus. It says, that ‘many withdrew and no longer followed Him’, not because He was controversial, misused power, found leading an immoral life, embezzled money but because He demanded people to repent of their sins, to live a holy life and have a relationship with a holy God. Bible is the honest record of 40 authors who dared not to mince words and falsify facts. You would rarely find such logical flow of information in any other religious scriptures.

It was difficult for people to comprehend how could Christ be so holy and blameless. Jesus even challenged His enemies by asking them, ‘who can convict me of any sin?’ It was a daring challenge. People were so immersed in their sins that this high calling of holiness was nearly impossible. At that time the Roman empire was ruling the nations. It was a period when Palestine, the area where Jesus lived, was a territory under Roman control. Jesus was born during the reign of Emperor Augustus and crucified under Emperor Tiberius. The Roman Empire was a vast territory stretching from the Atlantic to the Red Sea and from the Danube to the Nile, and it maintained order through its military and administrative power.

Finally, out of envy Jesus was handed over to be crucified. We find that people were given a choice between Jesus and Barabbas, because it was a customary to release one prisoner each year. At that time, it is documented that Barabbas was a notorious prisoner in jail for insurrection. Now let me point out the fact that Barabbas's full name was most likely Jesus Barabbas, according to some ancient manuscripts of the Gospels. The name "Barabbas" itself is an Aramaic term meaning "son of the father". Therefore, the crowd was presented with a choice between releasing Jesus, also known as the Messiah, or Jesus, who was the "son of the father".  Dr James L Johnson presents his finding by stating this, “Barabbas was technically a surname. They had to choose which Jesus they wanted: the one who brought a kingdom in love or the one who did so with violence. We get to choose which Jesus we want.”. As Gilbert pointed out great facts, why don’t you give Jesus a chance. It may be that the more you learn about Him, you’ll realize that there are some very good reasons for believing what He said about Himself, about God and about you.

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The Dynamics of Decisions!

Decision making is a crucial feature in our day-to-day life. It comprises of important ones as well as insignificant, unimportant ones. It can vary from what we wear, to the pen we use, to cooking, an outing, etc. Nobel Prize winner Herbert Simon one of the founders of the fields of organization theory and information processing has coined a term called ‘satisficing’. It means you are satisfied and sufficient. The idea behind the term is to describe not getting the very best option but one that was good enough. Satisficing is one of the foundations of productive human behavior; it prevails when we don’t waste time on decisions that don’t matter, or more accurately, when we don’t waste time trying to find improvements that are not going to make a significant difference in our happiness or satisfaction.

Our daily life is about making decisions and with every passing generation it is becoming an increasingly daunting task. There is so much distraction in the current lifestyle that it’s not as simple as a ‘yes’ or ‘no’. When someone is communicating with us, there is a need for our minds to process and come up with decisions. Study says, to understand one person speaking to us, we need to process 60 bits of information per second. With a processing limit of 120 bits per second, this means you can barely understand two people talking to you at the same time, leave alone three people. 

Best decisions are made in the satisficing stage, i.e. when you are satisfied and sufficient. Recent research in social psychology has shown that happy people are not people who have more; rather, those who are happy with what they have. Happy people engage in satisficing all the time, even if they don’t know it. They exhibit a better mental frame than those who are anxious and struggling. Apostle Paul, the author of one of the books of the Bible states, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”.  The tension of dichotomy in living a satisficing life in an ever-wanting world can be eased only through divine intervention in our lives. Apostle Paul further states, “I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”. What and whom you value above all the temporal things matter. Getting to know Jesus Christ will give you the satisfaction and sufficiency that your soul is always longing for. He is the only one who can fill that void, the puzzle piece that your life needs to experience harmony because He created you for a purpose.

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Finding your religious identity!

 

It is amusing to know the perception of how one is labelled under a religious category. If you are born in the Middle East, you are a Muslim, if you are born in India, you are a Hindu and if you are born in Europe or America, you are a Christian. Looks like religious beliefs are more geographically inclined and not through divine providence. People invoke the argument that "If you were born in X country/region, you'd belong to a particular religion predominant in that area”. I believe the idea behind that argument is that since those who are born in a country belong to a particular religion then majority must belong to that religious identity only.  I can admit there is some logic to that, but I find this argument erroneous. The other way of people arriving to such conclusion is based on legends of gods that exist in that geographical region. Hence, the land takes the religious identity. Eventually those born in the country carry the same religious identity. This inadvertently limits gods and religious identity to a particular region and territory.

The problem further escalates when people of a particular religion enforce their faith on people of other faith living there and try to expand their territory. This makes gods less powerful than man as they determine a god’s place of abode and territory. In trying to be an ambassador for their gods, man has turned into a beast. He hurts, kills, destroys people, demolishes worship facilities and promotes by enforcing his idea of who God is and what God wants. 

The moral law, meaning a sense of right and wrong has become a dichotomy. Love, peace and harmony are a gamble today. Man is writing the stories of God based on what he wants and how he wants to be treated. People carve God based on their imagination that would give them the liberty to live as one pleases yet be in a miserable state. Religious places and facilities are means to promote their religion and faith. Hardly one wants to probe the true version of who God is and how a God should be. If we were to observe objectively, people live better lives than existing gods. Some stories of gods are limited to man’s imagination and documented under the category of mythology. Some have lived a miserable life and passed away and some left this earth with frustrations.  

All religions are not the same as people claim. Superficially they are one but fundamentally different. The protagonist of the story, God, is important to be researched. Most of the stories of gods states they lived for themselves and passed away. But it is not the same in the case of Jesus. He lived a holy life, claimed He is the way, the truth and the life, He raised people from death, healed the sick, preached about repentance and commanded people to repent of their sins. He confirmed life after death. He proved it by predicting the nature of His death and about His resurrection. Finally, He was resurrected. He never demanded to build Churches but instead asked to preach about repentance, to believe in Him to be saved from sins and have hope of eternal life, a life after death spent in heaven with God. The greatest purpose of man is to know the true God and have a fellowship with him, more importantly a God who rose from dead. Jesus not only resurrected but promised to live in human heart. 

 

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The Consequence Blinders!

We have all come across situations where it’s hard to convince a person about consequences for their wrongful actions. Made up minds are shut for any concrete advice. People may not understand the consequences of their wrongdoings due to a lack of self-awareness, a cognitive bias like the Dunning-Kruger effect (The Dunning-Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people with low ability in a specific area overestimate their own competence, while those with high ability underestimate theirs), a fixed mindset, or an external locus of control where they blame outside forces. This happens because those with low competence lack the cognitive skills to recognize their own deficiencies, leading to overconfidence.

Immediate evident consequences maybe delayed resulting in impaired emotional state of a person to learn from their harmful behavior. Emotional regulation issues, fear of failure, perfectionism, or cultural influences also play a role.  A healthy response to correction involves adapting your behavior to a situation, even when emotions are difficult. Some of the psychological factors affecting such a behavior are:

>Lack of Self-Awareness: An individual must first acknowledge their mistake to change their behavior. Without this awareness, it's impossible to learn from the experience. 

>Fixed Mindset: Believing that abilities are static can prevent individuals from seeing a mistake as a learning opportunity. 

>Mood swings: Frequent and rapid changes in one’s emotional state. 

>Outbursts: Intense and unpredictable expressions of anger or other emotions, even over small things. 

>Feeling overwhelmed: Experiencing emotions so strong that they are difficult to control or manage. 

>Impulsivity: Difficulty controlling urges and behaviors due to strong emotions. 

If you are a parent, friend, well-wisher trying your best to advise and counsel an individual when making a mistake but failed to convince the person, then I understand the emotions you must be going through. We correct our loved ones to protect them from consequences whether now or later. Bloated ego and stubbornness become a major hurdle to accepting correction. Delayed consequences have a downside as they encourage pride. The book of Proverbs in the Bible states, "He that withdraws himself seeks his own desire". You will find this state more in children and youth as they think they know it all. In the age of information, they feel powerful. Bible states “…Knowledge puffeth up…”. Knowledge alone is not enough, they need wisdom and discretion, which is again the matter of the heart. God is gracious enough to bless them with these to those who long for it.

The Bible states, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”. It takes humility to accept advises. Parents can feel helpless when knowing their children who refuse to be corrected and accept advise are going to hit rock bottom. In times like these all one can do is to be there for the person and show immense love.  Certain consequences because of an action are hard to be deterred but pray that the person is open to correction. "Open rebuke is better than secret love" is a biblical proverb, meaning that honest, open correction or criticism, even if painful, is more beneficial and a truer expression of care than love that is never shown or expressed openly. Bible also states, "The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy". May His mercy be showered on all such people who are struggling to receive correction and know the truth.

 

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The Crisis of getting along!

If only cordial relationships with parents, sibling, spouse, friends, neighbors, colleagues could be easy without hiccups.  We wish relationships were cordial all the time, but we know that’s far from reality. Take for example a parent and child relationship, it all begins when a child depends on the parents for almost everything and they adopt to parent’s wish, mostly.  However, this changes when the child grows big. They tend to move from dependency to independency. Now, the parents are concerned about the child making mistakes especially when some of the mistakes can be costly. In the urge of protecting the child from any disaster due to the result of their choices the parent jump-in to alert, warn and rescue. But in some case, they overdo. Now, this does not guarantee the child is going to appreciate the good intention of the parent. The high chances are the child is going to rebel and defy. The question of invasion of space arises due to generation gap. Children always feel the parents have not understood them well.

Each relationship is different and can be challenging. For example, in a marital relationship things can get complicated especially when everyone wants to make a point and expect other person to accept it as the right view. When one of the persons fails to or refuses to accept it as the right view then there are friction, contention and disappointment. Well, in the initial stage of marriage the case can be different but then the true nature of both individuals collides as time passes. In some arguments one of the persons maintain silence allowing the other person to be right and not to forcefully try to make his/her point. But we all know this is not a fool proof method as such suppression doesn’t mean all is well. It can always erupt again in a different form later at some point. 

We all wish to be right all the time. The question of fact can always be missed during confrontations. Confrontations are not bad, but it can aggravate as the subject matter gets blurred as we go deep into an argument. The members start picking up matters which are non-related arising out of the heated conversations. Usually, we all want others to know they are wrong, that they have made a mistake and in doing so we can end up hurting in many ways. And in a work environment as we all are aware the boss is always right. And between the colleagues the competitions and the need for survival takes precedence. 

There’s compelling research that spending time with the “other side” and engaging in goal-oriented conversations is a critical part of building a more culturally intelligent world. This was an idea first developed by Gordon Allport, something he called “Contact Hypothesis.” Allport offered guidance on how to use solution-focused dialogue to reduce conflict and discrimination:

>The members from both groups need to have equal status. If one group is treated as subordinate, the interaction makes things worse.

>There has to be a common goal (such as Helping the people in need. Reaching out to the vulnerable etc).

>The members of both groups have to commit to DOING something together. It’s the act of solving something together that begins to change attitudes about one another.

Some of the techniques and efforts will help when people are conscious and sensitive towards one another. The pressure to be seen right by others is intense that it deviates and disrupts the entire relationship. In critical situations and while having crucial conversations just state the fact keeping the tone at check without blaming or labelling the person failing which you will now have multiple argument points you may have to deal with. Ask God to give your calmness. After stating the fact allow people have a space to internalize and ponder over. Solomon the wise king states as recorded in the Bible, “…Calmness puts great offenses to rest.”. It may not be possible by nature but as you learn more about Christ your life is transformed. Jesus was known for His kindness, compassion and gracious words. The gospel writer Matthew in his gospel records about people perspective and their testimony. It says,“They were all speaking well of him and were amazed by the gracious words that came from his mouth…”. Knowing Christ changes your identity and helps you tackle relationships and situations more maturely. 

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THE FOUR

First time is a chance, the second a warning!

 

Paulo Coelho made a statement which says, “everything that happens once can never happen again. But everything that happens twice will surely happen a third time.”. That’s the law of patterns: the first time is a chance, the second is warning and the third is consequence. Wish more people understood that life is all about patterns. You’re not broken. You’re repeating something. A thought. A reaction. A story. Change the pattern and you change your life. Well, this is easier said than done. Patterns are outward symptoms of something brewing in the human heart and mind. We are so accustomed to naturally think and choose evil than good, which results in recurring patterns of destructive behavior. 

The Bible explicitly states the nature of human mind as “… always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth…men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.” (2 Timothy 3:7-8). The author in the Bible quotes an example of certain men who opposed leadership not because of mere likability but because of their depraved mindset which affected their behavior.  If you observe the patterns in human behavior and thoughts, you will notice:

>Our habits, both positive and negative, are patterns of behavior. 

>Our emotional responses often follow predictable patterns. 

>The Law of Patterns suggests that our external reality reflects our internal state. 

If we experience chaos or negativity in our circumstances, it may indicate a corresponding pattern of chaos or negativity within us.

The quote, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit,"attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. What we repeatedly do can be attributed in two ways, 1. Intentionally doing things repeatedly eventually making it a habit or pattern, and 2. We get caught in a web of lies and promises through which we end up doing certain things as a pattern. 

The Bible diagnosing about the human heart states, "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" Heart can constantly be misleading in the way it tempts, allures and supports evil effortlessly. The heart is never a moral compass to point out to the truth and what is right. Truth can be only found in a person Jesus Christ who claimed it and invited people to follow the truth. Jesus is in the business of transforming human lives, their nature and patterns. 

A man called Saul of Tarsus recorded in the Bible states that he became inflamed with hatred for the followers of Jesus. He sought to destroy the church in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1–3 Bible) and then headed for Damascus to tear up the church there (Acts 9:1–2 Bible). By his own admission he states, “even though I was a formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance and unbelief.”.  The pattern of this man was to put the followers of Jesus into prison, persecute them, and destroying the Churches in Jerusalem. His pattern was broken when he encountered Jesus in the way to Damascus. He was totally transformed and immediately started sharing his transformative love of Christ to others. 

You can change the consequences of your behavior pattern by looking to Christ Jesus for help. You don’t have to merely struggle to form a good pattern. He transforms a person like Saul of Tarsus from inside out. This same person who was called formerly Saul and later Paul writes in one of his books in the Bible, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come". I invite you start your life with a new set of pattern which will be transformative and transcendental.

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The cost of an un-surrendered life!

 

There is a price we pay for everything. Commodities have a visible price attached to them but there is a price we pay for our choices in life. The consequences for some choices may be immediate while some haunt us for life. Mostly the price we pay in such cases are recurring and painful. A harmonious relationship makes life enriching, but a contentious relationship wearies us. The underlying factor in all of this is our stiving to have control and we commit and surrender to wrong things in life.

In our desire to control every outcome, we try to steer our lives down a meticulously planned path. I’m a planner. I like to know when something is going to happen and what it’s going to look like. On the contrary a life of faith works on uncertainty. God rarely gives us a map and a timeline. I would even dare to say, God does not work in certainty. When I strive to control my outcomes, I end in disappointment. Surrendering is not accepting defeat but the humble belief that God holds the blueprint for our lives. We try to be self-styled gods by making things work for us through our abundant resources and opportunities. This deceives us into thinking that we neither need help from others or the need to commit and surrender to God.

The best description of surrender is when Jesus framed the top two commandments i.e. to love the Lord God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength and then to love their neighbors as themselves. Surrendering in Jesus’ term is to love the Lord and people unconditionally. When love for God is unconditional then you are automatically prepared to love one another like yourself. The purpose of life is to know God and to love Him and love others as Jesus’ commanded. When you hold on to something that is not part of God’s will and refuse to surrender, then you pay the price. The core of such rebellion and defiance is a moral decline. They may be holding on to something which they cherish, and value more than God and they fail to realize it is sin. They may miserably fail in all that they do yet be unwilling to commit their life to God. 

For God’s blueprint of your life to be revealed, our surrendering and committing is crucial. We need to receive forgiveness from our sins, which we can find only in Christ and be a transformed person. In the realm of faith, surrender does not equate to weakness; rather, it signifies a profound strength found in trusting God’s love and plans for us. Scripture offers abundant clarity and guidance on this - “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Surrender involves relinquishing our need for control and placing our lives confidently in God’s hands, knowing He has our best interest at heart.

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I am convinced that I am right this time!

 

“I want what I want” is a mantra most of us use and find enough reasons to rationalize our desire however harmful it maybe. There is an amount of exploration, chasing and seeking we do to get what we want. If our desire is acceptable within the societal norms, even better. An example is gay marriage, which is acceptable in some societies so it’s okay to be gay and look for a gay partner. The matter of right versus wrong depends on the environment we are living in.

So, what is the parameter for right and wrong. Each culture dictates its own dress code, food habits, relationships models and people adapt to them accordingly. For example, are live-in relationships one of the models for marriage? Not really. Let me point out an example from the Bible, one of the apostle’s states, 1 Corinthians 11:14-16 “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.”. This issue can be argued based on each culture’s preference.

However, certain choices of individuals are questionable and at times up for criticism. There is the cultural framework but more than that there is the moral framework of God. As humans we have tested the boundaries of God’s moral framework and have nudged the boundaries lines far enough to brazen our conscience. Recently, I read a shocking news about Ukraine. Its parliament has planned to legalize pornography to fund its war efforts. Seriously? The means can be justified based on the need, but we fail to see the larger picture of what it will do to the country. It will disintegrate family, society and community, culminating to a massive swift downfall. It means your goal (the end) is so important that any method you use to achieve your goal (the means) is acceptable.

The lines of right and wrong have blurred with every passing generation. Our selfish needs have moved the boundaries significantly. Beware! Trial and error method doesn’t work in real life. Mistakes being repeated does not mean you were wrong the first time but right the next. 

The more we push our moral boundaries the greater is the fall. When the spirit of the Lord leads us then there is perfect leading and peace. Decisions within the moral framework of God don’t need social and cultural acceptance. It’s perfect on its own. The Bible states “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”. Quit compromising on your values and heed to the leading of the Spirit of God. Assess your selfish desires and the lessons you learnt by giving into them. We learn from the Bible, "The Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man", which means it signifies that God's patience with humanity's sinfulness has its limits. It also implies that there will be a point where God's Spirit will cease striving with people, leading to drastic consequences. You are in God’s hand and His perfect plan for your life is for your own welfare. Quit creating your own plan and tagging it as God’s will for your life.

 

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