Those who way they go to church for someone else’s sake, for their beloved sons and daughters or for their beloved husband or wife, will not be able to go further. They should go to church for God’s sake. You should go to church to attend God as your own God and to find God’s love as your own love. (1012)
One does not start out as a central figure with confidence. I, too, have never thought myself as being confident. I realized that before I liked myself, I had to like God and I had to like the one whom God was seeking. How to possess this kind of heart was my endeavor. If I have that heart, there is nothing that is impossible. You must have a mind to make people happier and console the sorrowful person. (1019)
The true shepherd does not say he is the true shepherd. He always quietly embraces God’s will and the entire universe in his heart and goes out; he does not make excuses. (1019)
After working hard for the public purpose, you might fall asleep without realizing how tired you are, and yet in the morning you would wake up totally refreshed. From this experience you realize, “Ah, this is the principled way of life!” But if you think, “Well, I slept only three and a half hours last night. Therefore, I should sleep at least six hours.” your entire body will feel as though it weighs a thousand or even ten thousand pounds and you will have pain all over. That is why I tell you not to have such thoughts.
A leader should not be the first to lie down no matter how tired he may be. He should lie down only after everyone else has lain down. He should be the last to finish praying. Even in his life of faith, he should offer devotion without food, clothes, and shelter. Such is the position of a leader. If he can live that way, he will not perish.
I am at a loss for words before a devoted person. As leader of the Unification Church, when I am considering which of two people is better, I do not take into account who is handsome, but rather I look at the direction of their mind. In other words, I see whether their mind is public or personal.
Even when you take your first step in the morning, you should think whether or not it is for the public purpose. And when you go to bed after finishing your daily work, you should reflect on whether or not the day was spent for the public or personal purpose. Furthermore, looking back at the past twelve months of your life or your entire past life, you should reflect on whether or not you led a public life or a personal one.
The person who is in a public position is pitiful. What if, even though he does his best, he makes a mistake in following God’s will and a thousand years of merit goes wrong? He lives with such a serious heart.
We cannot drift along day by day as months pass. If we are not focused on preparing for the new day’s advance, then we will become prey for vultures here in the wilderness. (1020) --28
Monday, December 22, 2008
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