…the cell is an ideal place to learn to know yourself, to search realistically and regularly the process of your own mind and feelings. In judging our progress as individuals we tend to concentrate on external factors such as one’s social position, influence and popularity, wealth and standard of education. These are, of course important in measuring one’s successs in material matters and it is perfectly understandable if many people exert themselves mainly to achieve all these. But internal factors may be even more crucial in assessing one’s development as a human being. Honesty, sincerity, simplicity, humility, pure generosity, absence of vanity, readiness to serve others – qualities which are within easy reach of every soul – are the foundation of one’s spiritual life. Development in matters of nature is inconceivable without serious introspection, without knowing yourself, your weaknesses and mistakes.


Nelson Mandela - From a letter to Winne Mandela in Kroonstad Prison, February 1975 - in Conversations with Myself

If so many of us profess to live by the gospel yet are so pathetically marginal to the life of our societies and so nondescript and inconsequential in our individual lives, is there something wrong with the gospel, or does the problem lie with us?- Os Guiness

“I fear there are some Christians among you to whom Christ cannot say well done good and faithful servant. Your haughty dwelling arises amidst thousands that have scarce a fire to warm themselves and have but little clothing to keep out the biting frost. You heave a sigh perhaps at a distance, but you do not visit them. Ah, my dear friends, I am not concerned for the poor but more for you, I don’t know what Christ will say to you on the great day. You seem to be Christians yet you don’t care for his poor. What a change will pass upon you as you enter the gates of heaven. You will be saved but that will be all. There will be no abundance entrance for you. He who soweth sparingly reaps sparingly and I fear there may be many hearing me that now know they are not Christians because they do not love to give. To give largely and liberally not grudging at all requires a new heart. An old heart would rather depart with its life blood than its money. So friends, enjoy your money, make the most of it, give none away, for I can tell you, you will be beggars throughout eternity.” Robert Murry Mcshane

luke 6: 32 - 36.

you will be children of the most high because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

when you receive go's mercy, you become god's son while you are still wicked. jesus also say, 'if you are who are evil, know give gift to your children, what's more your heavenly father."

in the same line, same breath, you are evil yet you are beloved child.

is there any other religion, philosophy world thinking that say you are evil but yet you are belvoed child of god. no, but only in christianity you are both and tha'ts the key to be able to love your enemies

revolutionize understanding of sin. the power to love your enemies

luke 6:12-36: rhetorical game that jesus is plyaing, sinners vs evil.

he used the term sinners as if he agrees with the other that those unbelievers are sinners. "you don't want to be like sinner", "those are sinners" he goes along and use the term.

and he's calling as ungrateful and evil. this word 'evil' is stornger than sinner. So, he is saying, you don't want to be like those sinner, you're not sinner, you're evil!!!

when jesus talk like that, not only the unbelievers are sinner, the believers are sinner too. ungrateful and sinner.

if we don't redefine understanding of sin, we'll never understand the power of gospel.

If the world despises a notorious sinner, the church will love her. If the world cuts off aid to the poor and suffering, the church will offer food and healing. If the world oppresses, the church will raise up the oppressed. If the world shames the outcast, the church will proclaim God’s reconciling love. If the world seeks profit and self-fulfillment, the church seeks sacrifice and service. If the world demands retribution, the church dispenses grace. If the world splinters into factions, the church joins together in unity. If the world destroys its enemies, the church loves them 


Yancey

Of one hundred men, one will read the bible; the niney-nine will read the Christian

J Moody

To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you  must give yourself to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. Bu tin that casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

Cs Lewis