Enhancing One's Personality and Integrity
For the most part, we have two faces: one for the world and one for ourselves. It's natural for us to hide aspects of ourselves from the rest of the world. We prefer to conceal the parts of ourselves that aren't seen as desirable by society. It's easy to fall prey to the usual human vices: avarice, avarice, avarice... In addition, we prefer to keep our flaws hidden. Our ice cream-eating prowess doesn't need to be revealed, does it?
I believe that most people are nice, loving, empathetic, and kind at heart. In spite of this, even individuals we consider to be nice people may be guilty of heinous crimes. What's the number of times you've heard a close relative or friend of a convicted killer remark? "A feat like that simply seems impossible to me." It's so out of character for him. " The murderer posed as someone else to the outside world, but he was in fact a completely different person.
Okay, so most of us aren't actual killers. Many of us would be called "nice people," yet we're not immune to the temptations of dishonesty and deceit. In what ways does it reflect poorly on us? Is it just a crime if we're caught doing it?
It's not uncommon for people to do things they would never do in the presence of others. The public would know about these things if they were made public. Was it only because you were certain no one would find out that you acted on your impulses?
"Sin" is a topic on which I've been reflecting a lot recently. Can you define sin for me? In the Christian faith, sin is defined as anything that offends God. The Ten Commandments prohibit adultery, theft, murder, and a host of other transgressions, among other things. Supposedly, if you follow this list, you will be kept in God's good graces.
There is simply one commandment in certain earthly religions: He did none; this covers all aspects in two words. Do not do anything that might hurt you or someone else. It's not difficult, is it?
But in both cases, aren't there some gray areas? It might be difficult to distinguish between what's right and what's wrong at times. Is it theft if we take money we discover on the street and keep it for ourselves? It doesn't seem to matter whether it's $5 or $500. Is it wrong if we tell a falsehood to protect someone else's feelings? Theft is defined as taking anything of value from another person's property without their consent. Is it actually "harming" the business? Is it cheating if we flirt with someone else or daydream about them? In other words, is cheating only a physical act of sex?
My guess is that some of you are rolling your eyes at me right now and wondering to yourself, "What the hell is going on here?" "What's the big deal about this issue?" So what if I steal something from work or lie to my wife? They won't be harmed by what they don't know." That may be the case, but isn't the long-term effect detrimental? Aren't such behaviors a disservice to the person you claim to be? What if your inner light dims as a result? Isn't it also true that injuring someone else is damaging yourself since we are all connected? We insult ourselves and God when we treat others poorly.
I don't think that God is angry and judgemental, waiting in the clouds to toss us into the fires of Hell for our sins. I think there will be a "review" of our lives at some point, and we will be held accountable for our deeds. However, I believe we should be the ones to decide our own fate. We all know what is good and wrong in our hearts.
There is no one who expects us to be flawless. Even the best among us make errors and do things we regret. After all, we're all just people. Even if we make a mistake, there is a great distinction between doing something that we know is bad and doing something that we do not intend to do. We may attempt to defend our conduct ourselves from time to time. It's possible that your spouse isn't paying enough attention to you, so you're trying to persuade yourself that an affair with a guy who is is OK. If your boss doesn't give you a raise that you're happy with, you might steal goods or change your timesheet to make up for it.It was requested, wasn't it? You have every right to do these things, and no one is likely to prohibit you from doing so. Free will is the greatest blessing we may have in this life. It's our greatest blessing, but it's also our biggest bane. Our actions will always have repercussions, no matter how long they take to manifest.
It ultimately boils down to taking responsibility for one's own actions. Do we really want to be a good person? We don't care whether we're discovered or not. What's important is that our actions are what define who we are. Thieves are those who steal something that isn't theirs. I am an adulteress if I cheat on my hubby. My best bet is to avoid doing these things in the first place. The truth will eventually come to light.