Do you consider yourself to be an empathetic person? To whom do you extend empathy? Are you kind to those who are kind to you, and lend to those who are able to repay, and show favor to those who hold similar beliefs, values, and ideology as yourself? What reward do you expect from your Father in heaven for that? Doesn’t everyone do that? I taught you to love your enemies, do good to those who hate and persecute you, and lend to those who could not repay you. The true test of empathy is not in how you treat your friends, but in how you treat your enemies.

My word uses the illustration of running a race like you intend to win it. What conclusion do you draw from that? Do you see it as a competition in which you strive to beat your opponents? This would be the wrong conclusion. The proof of this is in the conduct of those Christians who behave as if they are in competition with their fellow believers. If not that, then what? The passage refers to internal focus. Structure your own life and do all that is necessary to prepare yourself to put forth your own best possible effort.

Have you encountered parents with different faith traditions who agree to raise the children with no faith influence on the premise that they will be free to make up their own minds when the time comes? What would you expect to happen as a result? On what basis would they make a decision? They will learn that faith is unimportant. Haven’t you seen children raised in any faith tradition feeling free to make up their own minds to change if they so desire? It would be better to find a way to raise the children that honors more than one faith tradition.

Have you ever found something in a place you did not expect to find it? Was this a pleasant surprise if it was something you wanted? Do you know where to find truth? For many believers this is a narrow search area, and it is considered more by the source than by the content. But what if you come across something from outside your faith tradition that resonates deeply with you and provides an accurate description of real world behavior? Could that be true? Could there be truth outside your tradition? I promised to lead you into all truth.