Outward signs can be misleading. A man can wear robes and perform the sign of the cross, yet still be completely wicked. Appearance has nothing to do with purity of mind. Politicians will steal from the country while boasting about their superiority. Anyone, political or religious, who proclaims their moral or intellectual fitness is boasting, which always is a cover-up. You can be certain of it. Only the deeply insecure sing their praises. Truly righteous people are humble and readily admit their flaws, for they are not living in dread of being found out.
But flaws are inherently woven into the fabric of earthly life. Your flaws are what keep you grounded and connected. Without them, you would be a faultless divinity, not belonging to this world. You would have to worship yourself! And this is what the narcissist does: he values his own opinion above everyone else's. And while most detest the narcissist, a number of boot-lickers will follow them around, waiting for the breadcrumbs to drop so they can eat them up. They ingratiate themselves to the inner circle out of fear of being ostracized. When you see these sniveling opportunists, you cannot help but be sickened by their obvious lack of self-confidence and inauthenticity. They are chameleons, adapting to whatever color is most in fashion. These types only reflect and never originate. Be neither the elevated buffoon nor the court jester.
Most people are neither kind of fool but fall somewhere in the middle. They struggle with persistent personality flaws common to all and errors in judgment such as lying, lust, and greed. These are the three common sins everyone wrestles with. By "greed" I do not only mean an appetite for money. I also mean gluttony, which are addictions to food, alcohol, or drugs, or any lust for more that drives you. Lust and greed are made of the same appetite for more. Lying is deception, which includes stealing. Why am I discussing such base impulses? Because you have them. They have shadowed you since birth. Some have managed to evade them. But every one of you fights these powerful urges: to lie, to steal, to amass more money than you need, to drink or to take drugs in excess, to eat too much, and to lust for what your eyes see or your mind conjures. These are temptations that are part and parcel of life. They tempt you when you are lacking. You may be lacking the love and affection you feel you deserve, so your mind says, "Take it!" You may be poor and thus tempted to take what is not yours. You may suffer with a hard life and find alcohol, drugs, or food can, for a time, quench the thirst for happiness. These are base impulses that tempt you occasionally, or on a regular basis. You may indulge them frequently and regularly or ignore them completely. Either way, they make themselves known to you. How you handle them determines your moral or spiritual maturity. For distinguishing right from wrong is the definition of spirituality. A spiritual person refuses the wrong and pursues the right. Morality is the measuring stick.
What if you fail consistently to measure up? What if you are caught in the grip of addiction? What if you enjoy deceiving others? What if money is the only measure of a man in your eyes? What if your lust runs wild and unchecked? Then I would say you are here to learn. Are you a bad, horrible thing when you give in to base longings? Then every one of you is bad and horrible, for as I have said, humans struggle all their lives with such impulses. And while you will improve and grow as age ascends, even the aged find themselves shaking their heads at their own weaknesses and stupidity after all these years. You will never completely outgrow your humanity, weaknesses, and personality issues. They will dog you your whole existence.
How should you feel about your weaknesses and the frailty of others? Realize the truth, and admit it to yourself: you are hardly better and not much worse than most people. You are not higher or lower than others. You are a human in the lengthy process of learning to embrace your faults. Simultaneously, you are the king of beasts, the most intelligent of all creatures, and the top of the food chain. Thus, you have a great advantage and responsibility. For the blessings given you, you are tasked with learning to do better. If you leave this life worse for having been here, then you contributed little. Conversely, if you helped others, then you have taken the advantages given you and used them properly.
Step back for a moment and survey your life. You will probably see that you experienced both challenges and blessings. Life is not all challenging, nor is it a bowl of cherries. They are mixed together. It is a jumble of pleasure and pain. One day may be so horrible that it seems life hates you, while the next day brings unexpected joy. You never know what to expect; that is the truth. For the good that found you, I am asking you to inspect yourself, not with a critical eye, but with an eye of compassion. Realize that you are still learning; whatever age and stage you are in, there is always something to be learned. What does life seem to be teaching you, and will you learn it? Are you able to see your faults realistically, not worse nor better, but see that you are simply a part of the human family who struggles with base impulses and yet, still has something to give on this blessed day that you are still alive?
With love,
Frida
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