Living life by the ‘tradition of men’ or the ‘basic principles of the world’ is a sure way to get lost. Our traditions and principles are too often based on emotions instead of truth. Don’t let go of the truth – even when it’s out of sync with popular opinion.
Sometimes examples help: a popular opinion (heard in nearly every commercial where something is being marketed) is that “you deserve it”. The truth is, not only do you not deserve a set of ginsu knives or a contraption that will crack your eggs for you, but you deserve much less than you currently have (if you’re still breathing).
Acknowledging this truth – that we already have more than we deserve – will help us to be more grateful for things that come our way. Believing the lie, or principles of the world – that you ‘deserve’ so much more than you currently have, is a path to envy and depression.
That would be ‘empty deceit’. You are being deceived into believing you somehow deserve things that you do not deserve. You do not deserve a nice house – you must work for it. You don’t deserve a free PhD – you must prepare, study, and pay for it.
Most importantly, you do not deserve eternity with no pain, tears, or sadness. These come as a package deal when you walk away from the philosophy and deceit of this world, and accept the gift of Grace your Savior has for you.
#LoveMatters