Do you live in a culture of capitalism and commerce in which you pay for what get, and get what you pay for? The same principle applies to getting paid and paying others. Are you familiar with the story of the workers in the vineyard, where the owner of the vineyard agreed to terms with those who reported to work early, and other workers joined in the effort throughout the day and even toward the end? Yet the owner paid them all the same, and those who started early complained that it was unfair to them. This economic model does not fit your culture, but I told the story for a reason.

When you listen to someone present a message or an opinion, can you tell if they are repeating something they have heard from others, or if it is something they have personally lived? Which has more impact on you? There is a quality of personal engagement and involvement that cannot be duplicated by simply passing along information, even if it is true. Do you suppose the same effect works in the things that you present, that it is obvious whether it is second-hand information  or firsthand experience?

Do you ever surprise yourself? If you consider yourself to be easy-going and accepting, have you ever had strong reactions against things and wondered where they came from? The things that you react against can tell you things about yourself you didn’t know. If you really have all your issues resolved then you deprive provocations of their power over you to make you react. Being reactionary is not beneficial for you, so when you see this response arise in yourself you could take it as an invitation to examine yourself and let go of the access point that opens the door for reaction.

Do you have strong beliefs? Are they limited to essential Bible doctrine, or have you added other things as well? You can live your life according to beliefs that you have not formally expressed. Do you think of your commitment to your beliefs to be above any other consideration, such as the humanity of those you encounter? What do you see in my life? I commended the Good Samaritan for his kindness in spite of his incorrect doctrine. I commended the loving or faithful actions of those who were outside of the house of Israel regardless of what they believed.