Selfishness causes all sin. Integrity brings all happiness.
These two ideas are diametrically opposed to each other. One insinuates doing whatever it takes to get what you want, despite the consequences; the other is about doing the right thing all the time, even when nobody will know what your actions are. Adultery, thievery, lust, violence, lying, vanity, and every other bad, awful action that you can think of holds roots in the desire to make one's own status better or to satiate personal desires. Honesty, love, charity, faith, kindness, gentleness, diligence, generosity, and bravery, on the other hand, come from forgetting yourself in the desire to help and care for other people, no matter the time or the place. These choices have eternal consequences and every one must choose one or the other. As for me and my house? We will serve the Lord.
Not everyone chooses one or the other, have you heard "中庸之道"? I think a lot of people nowadays choose somewhere in between.
ReplyDeleteSomewhere in between is a myth that the world has created to make us feel better about doing things that aren't so good. While nobody is perfect and does chose the right all the time (which is normal), we must have the courage to admit to ourselves and others when we have done is wrong rather than trying to justify it.
ReplyDeleteWhen you say "These two ideas are diametrically opposed" you mean selfishness and integrity right? Because they aren't ideas they are ways of behaving and you make two statements prior to that statement that they are opposed to each other "Selfishness causes all sin. Integrity brings all happiness." and those two statements seem to work together, especially for you.
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