Is it possible to live it in today’s world?
The world is not a perfect place; in fact, we live
surrounded by contradictions in all social spheres. Spirituality, morality,
tolerance, solidarity... are concepts that do not mean the same to everyone and
that become important only by virtue of what interests those who are
interested. How is it possible to live an authentic and fulfilling life in a
society that contradicts itself? How can we be honest and honest when those who
should be are not always honest or seek to disguise the truth to appear what
they are most interested in at that time?
What does it mean to be authentic, we could say
that to be authentic is to give yourself permission to be yourself, to assume
the right to be wrong, and to act on our values and goals? Being authentic
means being honest, responsible, and self-aware. What prevents us from living an authentic
life?, There are some obstacles that prevent us from living an authentic life.
These obstacles are ego, pride, guilt, inequalities, complexes, external
influences, socio-economic factors, fear and lack of self-knowledge, among
others. Social contradictions make it very difficult to overcome or minimize
these obstacles.
Sometimes our sharp tongue shows an inability to
live our beliefs in goodness. For example, on a Sunday in a class, a brother asked for
the floor and commented: "The church is not a charitable center
where all the needs of the brothers are met. We have limits, and we can only
deal with a few, but not all, cases." This comment caused discomfort
in some people, especially in an old man who complained about what the brother
had said. The following Sunday, the same brother asked for the floor and said,
"Brothers, the previous Sunday I made a comment that caused harm to some
brothers,and since only the rivers are not returned, I want to retract my
words and ask forgiveness to the brothers who were offended." One can
reverse the consequences of his words through words, speaking with his mouth
the opposite of what has caused the harm. Language is such an undyed member
myth, James.3:8-10, that we need to do our best to discipline it.
The truth is, we all have problems with what we
say. That's probably why the Bible talks so much about the power of the tongue.
The proverbs are filled with verses about the positive and negative aspects of
the tongue. James 3:4-5 says: Most people want to be heard. What better way to
be heard as a believer than as a gospel teacher? However, James urges us to
consider the power of the language. We must not rush to propel ourselves to a
position where the tongue is constantly used. It is powerful and as such, it
will incur a "stricter trial." Control the tongue and you'll control
the rest of the body. James argues from highest to lowest in verse 2. If one
can control his tongue then we will be able to control the rest of the body as
well.
Words can build or destroy. Better than anything
else, the tongue shows the state of our hearts. Humanity alone cannot control
the language. If James left us here this would be a miserable message: the
tongue is a deadly poison that no man can stop. Fortunately, we're not left
alone. Talking negatively is costly in the spiritual realm, as we observe that
what we say can bring spiritual reward. In Jericho, God's people marched
silently around the city for six days. When they finally screamed on the
seventh day, the walls fell immediately. Their silence and their cries at the
right time earned them victory. This is also true for us individually. If we
keep our speech, we can win a big win.
St. 3:9-12, presents us with an impossible image:
the indomitable language. He compares the control of the tongue to a forest set
on fire by a single spark. It's like the time I participated in a paper lantern
lighting event: real flames, dry land and paper. An incorrect movement or gust
of wind, and the result would have gone from beautiful to devastating. Our
words have the power to bring life or destruction. If, with your speech, you
praise God and curse man, how can you really say that your faith changes your
life? Let God redeem your speech by thinking before you speak. St.3:17-18, The
flange of our tongues begins in our hearts, moves toward our minds, and comes
out of our mouths. A changed heart is a heart refined by the wisdom of God,
which is what gives us the right words to say at the right time. But how do we
know the difference between wisdom divideandworldly wisdom? St. provides us
with the criteria to decipher between the two. Choose the wisdom of God and let
what resides in your heart pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive,
merciful, good, impartial, and sincere. As you pursue divine wisdom, your heart
changes.
Finally, we all have a responsibility to be true
to ourselves. Becoming an authentic person and living authentically in a
contradictory world is an individual mission, different from person to person.
Being authentic is an ongoing process that will last a lifetime. Authenticity
begins when the intention to be genuine is established, especially when
personal values have to face situations in which interested and manipulative
behavior can occur and are strengthened. These are moments that are personally
equivalent to the cotton test. Thus, the values are made ours when we have to pay a price for them in
exchange for putting them into practice. Then there must be an awareness of
what is seen and felt, and the will to act on one's own genuine nature, even
when one feels vulnerable.
