Do you like variety? Everyone likes ice cream, and there is a reason that it comes in so many flavors. Is there a spiritual counterpart to this?  Do you understand that my mercies are new every morning? This implies that there is a fresh and unique quality to my mercy for each day. Have you experienced this yourself? Each day is different and has it’s own challenges and difficulties. You have my promise that I will craft a new version of mercy to meet the needs of each moment. You may not think of mercy and grace in terms of flavors, but it is an appropriate metaphor.

You refer to certain metals and stones as precious. They are valuable because they are rare. Can you apply the same logic to yourself? You are a unique creation and precious to me not only because there is just one of you, but also because of the love I have for you that doesn’t apply to inanimate objects, and you are made in my image where they are not. How should you respond? This knowledge shouldn’t make you arrogant, but humble, knowing that it is not based on your own accomplishments. Can you apply the same logic to everyone else, and take your place among all my precious children?

When a relationship breaks up, the person initiating the separation may say, ‘it isn’t you, it’s me’. Is this credible? Who thinks that they are the one at fault? If you get in a dispute and tell your friends about it, are they likely to side with you? The probably are, since they are already biased in your favor since they are your friends, and they are only hearing your side of the story. The law of probability would suggest that you are occasionally at fault, but fear and insecurity prevent people from recognizing this. Are you secure enough to realize when the problem is you?

Are you a saint? In some faith traditions this term applies to all believers. In others this is a recognized honor bestowed on a select few. It is possible that one is being too inclusive and the other is being too exclusive. The term implies that someone is living a life that manifests Christian principles, and some do this without being recognized for it, but it is not something that happens automatically for every believer. This is not an office in the usual sense of a designated authority in a church hierarchy, but they serve as living examples of Christlike behavior.