Have you been taught and accepted the premise that when you are right you should pursue the matter to the very end and never let it go? How has this worked out for you? You may think it is weakness if you back down. Could other people see it as stubbornness if you do not? Do you have an objective and certain means for knowing you are right? Other people feel the same way, but have you ever found out later that you were not as right as you supposed? There is wisdom in knowing what is truly non-negotiable and what you can let go of.

Have you heard of special undeveloped areas set aside as refuges or sanctuaries for birds or other wildlife? These terms imply a safe place free from harm. Do you think there are such places for people too? A place of worship is also known as a sanctuary, and I declared cities of refuge for my people. You live in a dangerous world. Do you feel safer in the woods or in the city? I promised to be with you always. That means that my sustaining presence is with you wherever you go.

Do you consider yourself to be privileged? Do you live with a sense of gratitude for it? Do you have an education? Do you understand that not everyone had this privilege, especially if you consider the span of history? This was what separated the upper and lower classes, and slaves from free men. Your education makes you more knowledgeable. Does it also make you more aware of the advantages it confers on you? You had to work for it, but you were not able to obtain it on your own. A sense of gratitude is beneficial for you in every aspect of life.

Does it ever seem to you that there are as many versions of ultimate reality as there are people? You would expect everyone in the same church to be on the same page, but even there you find variation. Do you ever get the sense that some people are making it up? Everyone takes their own journey of faith and you can’t force someone to go faster than they are able, but there is a difference between the discovery experience of seeking and finding, and making up a story. Even if people don’t agree on transcendent reality it is not fiction.