In order to find the truth we are to ask questions.

We should always be aware that we may be about to have our mind opened to come new truth, or to find out some amazing new fact that will wake us up and enlighten our life in some spiritual way. Wisdom comes from having an open mind. It does not come from being narrow-minded or close minded. People who think that they have all the answers and that they have all the facts are the spiritually-blind, because they have cut-off any new learning.

One of the differences between being spiritually awake and spiritually dead is being humble enough to being corrected and even welcoming correction, because we know that with each new piece of knowledge that we gain we become wiser and our life and other lives will be better for it as well. If we have a title and someone who does not have a title comes along and gives us good advice then the humble will listen, and if the advice is good they will learn from it. The spiritually-blind will refuse the good advice and will pay for it.

The cow has a large stomach that it fills up with briefly chewed grass. When that is full the cow walks off and lays down to ‘chew the cud”. The cow chews, swallows, un-swallows and re-chews the grass, and then swallows etc.

Now if you and I could only do that with the information that we are given then life would be far better for us and we would be able to make far better choices for our lives.

I had a friend who wanted to buy a caravan. It was in another town that he was visiting and he was sure that he should buy it then and there. But after a while he decided to think it over. And over the next three days back at his home he chewed over the idea in his mind. Over and over again he thought about it. And finally by the third day his interest had died down and he was more cautious and finally he decided that he would get into debt buying the caravan, so he didn’t get the caravan – that was the wise choice, the right thing to do and he never regretted that decision. Common-sense and rethinking the idea over again and again taught him to be more careful.

If someone came to you and told you a lie, or shared some gossip instead of taking it as the truth it is wise to think it over for a while, ask some questions, and consider it.

Sometimes people can convince us to take part in activities that we normally wouldn’t take part in. If we allowed ourselves to sit back and consider if the new suggestions fit within the boundaries that we have set for our own personal life or not, then we can choose without pressure.

Sometimes when I am in a room talking with people and as a group they try to push me into doing something that I feel uncomfortable with I get up and walk out. I get some fresh air and consider what they are saying. I refuse to allow them “to crowd me” – I get away from them and their thinking and ideas. I am firm when refusing to follow them though. It is only with a firm strong view that they will back down and go away if they are really pushy.
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Normally the peer-pressure thing does not upset me, but I know that it has convinced many a good person to do something that has killed them, maimed them or caused a lot so misery. When away from the crowd you can think of the peer pressure that is on you, do you like it? No! Then be sure to stop it immediately by laying down a firm foundation that no one can convince you to cross, after a while they will give up and get on with their own lives. If you lose them as friends then that is a blessing, “because if you have to lose self-respect and will end up disliking yourself just to be friends with these people”, it is far better not having them as friends. It is better to love yourself and to respect yourself than to have such self-destructive friends.

Many people advise that we should not make rash decisions, or to not choose too quickly. You are not going to die if you don’t choose to go with a certain person even though your mates are trying to push you into doing it. You are not trash. If people try to convince you to trying something that you know will cause you to dislike yourself and lose respect for yourself then know that the person that is giving you that advice is someone who has lost respect for themself (even if they act confident, arrogant, or a person “of the world), they are not worth following.

For your own sake please take advice only off people who are like what you want to be like. A nice girl taking advice off a feminist or whore will only be lead to misery. A good male taking advice off a chauvinistic will be lead astray and to disrespect women, the opposite to what he first believes.

Look at the person (especially a new friend who seems exciting and in control of their life) and ask yourself honestly, “Do I really want to be like this person?” If you don’t, then stop being around this person and don’t take advice off such a person. Remember that it is your close friends who have a strong influence on your life, your choices and what happens to you – please choose your friends wisely.

An honest person will understand you being weary, careful, and if you refuse to take part in any activities or refuse their advice, a good friend will not pressure you.

A good friend will continuously respect your strong views and will admire your strictness and courage to do what is right. A good friend is like you.

All the best from

James M Sandbrook.
October 16, 2014.