I said that unless you are converted and become as little children you would not enter the Kingdom of God. Yet you have already been a child. So this statement implies that you have lost something you once had that is essential to life. What could it be? Have noticed that children have a sense of wonder and live in a world of enchantment? They get over this in due course. So it is appropriate to ask if this is true or not, and if it is a valid and useful way to see the world. Do you live in a world I created? Every time you open your eyes do you see something I made with divine intention?

Would you rather be judged by your achievements or by your faults? How do you judge others? it is easier to judge by faults, for once committed they provide a basis for judgment, condemnation, and rejection that cannot be erased. Achievements take longer to accumulate, and a more lengthy and attentive observation. What about the person who has little or none of either? Is this the mark of a worthy life, to have done nothing either good nor bad? You know that forgiveness is available for your faults, and for the faults of others as well. What is the remedy for lack of accomplishment?

Have you ever held a garage sale? Many people do this to get rid of accumulated stuff they no longer use. It is possible to make money doing this but getting rid of unwanted things seems to be a stronger motivation. Sometimes churches organize these as a group. Can you carry the metaphor of the garage sale to a spiritual dimension? Have you accumulated beliefs and practices that are no longer serving you and in fact are getting in your way? This can be true on an individual level and on a church level or higher. Are you willing to clean house and hold a garage sale?

How do you regard the poor? The Bible says that they are rich in faith, and I had a special preference for  them. Yet there is a tendency for everyone to seek out and associate with those of their own economic standing. For this reason, the poor are an abstraction for those who are not, even those who would assist them. Do you give to the poor? How many of them do you know personally? Do you think it is better to aid them by giving to support organizations or by giving to them directly?