Do you partake of every form of entertainment without much consideration of the content, thinking it is harmless because it’s just a story after all? This is an incorrect approach. Stories are not harmless. They have enormous power to influence, for good or for evil. Have you considered that most of my teaching was done with stories? Much of my audience considered them as only that. and missed the deeper meaning, but it was there for those who had ears to hear. Stories can also have evil intent and effect and you should be aware of this. Be careful what you expose yourself to and engage with, for you will be influenced by it whether fiction or non-fiction, for better or worse. 

Do you think of prayer as talking to me? What about me talking to you? You expect to engage in an exchange of conversation with your friends and it is considered rude and a violation of social protocol for one person to dominate a conversation. Yet how many people pray without expecting me to respond or leaving an opportunity of listening in silence for me to do so? How many people engage in prayer speaking to me but think that me speaking to them is a form of mental illness? You describe your faith as a relationship with me and you have my promise that my sheep hear my voice. I also promised that if you seek you will find. This implies that if you listen you will hear from me. 

Do you have more admiration for people who are clever or people who are wise? Clever people are entertaining and keep you amused with their witty remarks. Wisdom is a rarer quality and not all who display it are glib or articulate. A poor man delivered a city by his wisdom but the poor man’s wisdom was despised, and my word says that wisdom cries in the streets implying a buyer’s market. There is more available than is desired. For I promise that if any man lack wisdom to ask of me and receive it freely. If you understand the value of wisdom you will take me up on my offer. 

I taught you to love your enemies. Do you see any tangible benefits to this other than being the children of your Father in Heaven? For one thing it reduces their influence over you. Hatred comes with a high burden of overhead. Maintaining an active opposition is more work than you think. It engages more of your time and attention than the value of any benefit obtained. When you define yourself in opposition to things you distort your own sense of identity. Hating your enemies invites them into your head in a greater way than loving them does. So love your enemies for your own sake that you may be the children of your Father in Heaven.