Do you keep up with current events? You have a greater abundance of information available to you than ever before, but it still takes time and effort to stay informed of the latest news stories. Do you keep up with timeless, enduring truth? This also requires time and effort and takes a lifetime of searching, but there is one advantage to this investigation as opposed to keeping up with the news. Things that are considered to be of great importance in media coverage today quickly fade into insignificance, but timeless truth endures so significance does not diminish. It is always true.

You know that it is wrong to engage in self-promotion. You have seen how unattractive this is in other people. Yet there is also a false humility that would like other people to be more enthusiastic about and more eager to advance your ideas than you are. What would be more validating to you than that? But this is not a reasonable expectation. Is there another alternative? Recognize that your ideas are from me. Then you can hold them with true humility and move them forward in my timing as you are led by the Spirit. In this case you are serving and promoting me rather than yourself.

Do you find it easier to judge in the abstract than it is to judge people you know? If you hear a reliable account about the conduct of some stranger is it easy to conclude  they are guilty? What about people you know? Does your familiarity with them and their situation make you hesitant to offer judgment, since you know of their difficulties and extenuating circumstances? King David was eager to stand in judgment of a stranger until he realized that he was  the man. Are you familiar with how merciful, accepting, and forgiving I am? I know everyone better than they know themselves.

I told you to love your enemies. Do you find this to be the most difficult commandment of all? Even if you can get past your natural aversion at doing this, how do you go about it? You could pray for them; a prayer of loving and blessing and favor rather than judgment. For those who hurt you is your first response to hurt them back or to try to understand their situation? Is there anything you can do that is more concrete and visible? I address this question by teaching you to turn the other cheek, and to be kind to those who despitefully use you.