Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, was one of the most prolific “proclaimers” of the teachings of Christ. He told people to “be as the Boreans”. These people took nothing he said at face value, but rather, examined his words, compared them to scriptures and made up their own minds about Paul’s words. So, what is Paul telling us? Don’t blindly accept anything anyone tells you. Not even a “well-respected” pastor/minister/teacher, etc. It’s up to each individual to find their own path and meanings. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Now, knowing that the translation of the Greek and Hebrew text was done with an “ends justifying the means” kind of attitude, even the words you read in a bible are open to vast interpretation. Most of us can’t read Greek or Hebrew. And, I’d dare to say, most all of us here do not have access to the original text. So, we’re working with second-hand information here. Yet, you can still find revelation, enlightenment, satori, if you truly are looking for the truth.
So, Paul has told us to be as the Boreans, examine it for ourselves, and interpret it for ourselves. If a Pastor or Teacher does not encourage self-study, I would suggest you find another Pastor or Teacher. Actually, I would suggest that everyone should find a time to separate themselves from the many voices that tell us the various “Meanings of Life” and be alone. Jesus went out into the wilderness for 40 days, Buddha spent years in a solitary life. They left everyone and everything that was distracting for them. There is even folklore that says Jesus went east and studied the ways and beliefs of the people there. If you do a comparison, the Buddhists have many of the same ideas as Jesus. If you only look through one window, you can only see things in a limited perspective. There is an old parable about the blind men and an elephant.
One man holding the trunk says that an elephant is long and slender, like a snake. Another man near the leg states that an elephant is round and sturdy like a great tree. Still another, holding the ear proclaims that an elephant is like a giant leaf.
Obviously, since they were limited in their perspective, they could not see the whole picture. So often, people are afraid to venture past the boundaries of their church, friendships, studies or present situation. I say, you should investigate as much as possible. If what you believe is truth, it will stand up to any test to which you put it. The bible says to come into the light, that darkness cannot exist in light. So the more you learn the more light is exuded in your mind and spirit and the more truth you shall see more clearly.
No one, not even a pastor/teacher/counselor/psychiatrist, can tell you what something is supposed to mean to you. Paul said, “I become all things to all people that by all means I might win some to Christ”. Does that sound like Paul put a limit on the truths he was trying to share? Truth is truth. It will stand against any onslaught. So, why should you be so cloistered in your mind and heart? The only way to make the bread is to sift through the chaff until the only thing that’s left is grain. You can’t get to the grain until you break through the chaff. Have you ever seen someone winnowing? First you harvest the wheat. Then you beat it, you subject it to the thorough “going over.” This separates the wheat from the chaff, the truth from the untruth. Then you repeatedly toss this conglomerate of things into the air, allowing the wind to carry the chaff and impurities away. The grain, truth, is heavier and falls back in to the winnowing basket. It takes a lot of work to get the pure grain, but then you have the base of the staple of your diet. You have the good stuff, you have the truth. But you can’t get to it without sifting thought it all, the good and the bad. Sure, you could eat the bread someone else makes, but how do you know what’s in that bread? Did they wash their hands before they kneaded the dough? Did they pick out the grubs? The only way you can be sure of the quality of the bread you eat is if you make it yourself! So, too, the only way you can be sure that what you believe is true, is if you have beaten away the chaff and processed the grain yourself. “Work out your own salvation”.
A good teacher/counselor can be a valuable “road sign”, but that’s all he’s supposed to be. The actual journey is up to you. You can sit at the crossroads and listen to the stories of the travelers that pass your way, or you can make the journey yourself and find out if that elephant really does look like a snake or if there’s more to this life than what others tell us.
Don’t reject something just because it didn’t originate in your little black book or from the lips of a group leader or a parent or any other authority figure. You may be able to find more truth while walking in the forest on one quiet day then a teacher or a psychiatrist or a minister was able to find in years of school.
I do not tell you what to believe or whom to believe. We’re referred to as sheep many times in the bible. I hate to tell you this, but sheep aren’t the brightest critters in the animal kingdom. They can only survive in herds. They’ll go anywhere someone leads them. They get lost easily. Most of the human population just wanders along with the herd, grazing on what the shepherds give them. Now the shepherd may very well love his sheep and take care of them as best he can, but that still means that all you’re ever going to see is the backside of another sheep. And as the backside of that sheep steps off the cliff, there’s a darn good chance you’re on your way over the edge as well.
This can be applied to all things in life. If you’ve been told all of your life that you’re ugly, you think you’re ugly. But, take a look in the mirror, wipe away the dust, and look to see if there’s something in that mirror that looks good to you. Maybe your eyebrow curves just right or the pupil of your eye is perfectly round. The whole is made up of the some if its parts/pieces. If you can find that one little piece that doesn’t fit the mold that others have cast for you, guess what? There are probably other things that will fall under the test. And once you crack that mask that others have placed on you, it will start to crumble and you’ll be able to see who you really are.
The more truth you see, the more you’ll be able to see. Whether it is physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual, truth is truth.
If you subject anything to enough scrutiny, the truth will present itself. It’s almost like an entity of itself. Break away the rest and it comes alive. No one can give it to you. You have to find it for yourself.
Read an author interview with Gigi by clicking Here.
