Suche die Wahrheit,
Seek the truth, höre auf die Wahrheit,
listen to the truth lehre die Wahrheit,
teach the truth liebe die Wahrheit,
love the truth bleibe bei der Wahrheit,
stay with the truth
und verteidige die Wahrheit bis zum Tode.
and defend the truth until death.
Gedicht von Jan Hus
Translated by Petra Hammer
As long as we live, we do not discern the whole truth.
We are born to inquire about the truth,
but to possess the truth,
rests in the hand of a greater power.
To seek the truth means,
to search God in every corner of our life.
In order to penetrate to the ugly reality,
we must cling to God
as the latter valid source of truth in our life.
We must rely on God's help,
when we try to recognize the truth.
When we rely on other sources (writers, philosophers, scientists, etc.)
it is possible that we are misguided through our own pathology,
self-centeredness,
ignorance, and
defensive mechanisms
to succumb to a lie.
Self-centeredness
There are human beings where one can perceive self-centeredness
in an unconcealed manner.
They circle around themselves and
put, see and set everything in relation to themselves.
It is through love that a human being can be freed from self-centeredness.
We have a guiding principle when we accept the Bible as God's word.
We can learn why and how we can seek in the Bible after the truth.
"All scripture is inspired by God and profitable
for teaching,
for reproof,
for correction, and
for training in righteousness,
that the man of God may be complete,
equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3, 16 - 17).
"All scripture is inspired by God and profitable,
1. for teaching
to discern the will of God,
2. for reproof to understand one's own fault,
3. for correction to return to God,
4. for training in righteousness" and to lead a life,
that pleases him" (2 Timothy 3, 16).
The truth, which we can gain through experience and through divine revelation,
can help us,
1. to get to know God,
2. to discover his will for us and
3. to recognize,
how we can live a healthy and
meaningful life.
We recognize the truth only piece by piece
A human being has to seek the truth and try to put the truth piece by piece
together.
It is arduous work to examine, what fits together and what not.
Our lies, the wrong pieces, which don't fit,
didn't get there over night and
they aren't going to disappear over night.
We must be patient with the process,
to replace our lies with the truth.
When our life is characterized by our devotion to truth,
do we develop a stable, positive feeling of self worth.
"...for he is like one who is inwardly reckoning
... but his heart is not with you." (Proverbs 23, 7).
Selfrespect
1. Only one self knows the intention of his or her heart
out of which he or she acted.
2. A person can discern between good and evil.
3. Every person is his own judge.
4. Depending upon the own judgment,
a person has selfrespect or not.
5. A person with selfrespect passes his self examination.
Feeling of self worth
How you answer this question "Who am I?" determines
from where you draw your feeling of self worth.
1. In a productivity orientated society you can draw your
feeling of self worth out of
a) your profession,
b) your position in society and
c) the income or
d) how much money or goods you possess.
2. The feeling of self worth can also be fostered through
honest recognition
through a partner or friend,
in the family,
at work,
and in the community.
With
a compliment,
an encouragement or
recognition,
you can strengthen the self worth of another person.
Recognition can be expressed for
a) loyalty,
b) difference and
c) meritious efforts.
3. As a believing person you do not have to draw your self worth
out of your own strength or
through the recognition of others.
a) Who regards himself as a creature of God and
b) tries to live according to the directions of the Bible,
c) knows that his self worth is anchored in God.
This persons knows that everything, what he is,
has, and can is a gift from God.
What determines the self worth of a person?
your religious conviction
your own success
the recognition of others
In Deinen Händen
In Deinen Händen, Gott, ruht alle Zeit,
ruht aller Zeit geheime Bürde stille.
In Deinen Händen, Vater, ruht die Fülle
der Seligkeit und alles Leid.
In Deinen Händen, Gott, ruht aller Sinn,
auch wenn ich hier nur Dunkel kann erspähen.
Aus Deiner Gnade bin ich, was ich bin!
In Deinen Händen, Gott, ruht meine Hand,
ruht was verborgen meinen Augen noch.
Weiß ich in allen Finsternissen doch,
dass Deine Liebe sich mir zugewandt.
Zu Deinem Herzen, Gott, ziehst Du mich hin. --
Lass mich in Deiner Gnade stehen,
vergehen meine ganze Schuld darin ...
