Man can remember what he has seen, heard, and learned and he can recall them because he has soul. When using the operation of soul, God's children should do it in the truth, and only then can they become people of spirit. Then, what should we do to have our souls be in the truth?
1. we should discern everything with the truth as a standard
People attain different culture, value, and point of view from person to person because they learn differently and grow in different surroundings. So, something is right for someone but it is wrong to some others according to their conscience. The yardstick of righteousness in the world is different according to time, place, and culture.
What is the true standard to discern right and wrong?
Believers in God have to learn God's Word and discern everything with the truth. So, we need to diligently listen to the truth, learn it, and make it spiritual bread. We should read the Bible and throw away wrong standards that we've learned in the world. Some of the things that people consider the truth are in agreement with the Bible, but many of them are against the Bible.
For example, people in the world think that it is right to revenge enemies but God's Word tells us to love even our enemies. Some parents tell their children to say that they are not at home when some unpleasant calls come. Some use others' possessions and do not give them back, or they use them without permission. They even do not take it seriously. But in the view of God's Word, such acts are a lie and a theft.
As the generation becomes more evil, people seek their own benefits more and practice the untruth, but they do not even know what they are doing. This is because they judge and condemn others according to their own standard.
2. we should feel everything in view of the truth.
In order to have soul work only in the truth, we should feel everything in view of the truth. How we feel now heavily depends on how we felt at first.
For instance, people with soul working in the untruth think in the following way; when they see someone very active, they may think, 'He is such a show-off.' And they have discomfort. On the contrary, people who use truthful operation of soul may think, 'He is a hardworking person for God's kingdom. He is lovely.'
Therefore, when we interact and work together with others, we should think and feel in a good way. When we meet people different from us in personality and culture, if we think, 'I don't like them', we may have bad feeling and it may remain for a long time. But if we put ourselves in their shoes, try to understand them, and think in a way of goodness, we can keep good feeling toward them.
That is, we should think and feel in goodness at all times. To do this, we should always see, hear, and put goodness in us.
Of course, we cannot completely block ourselves from evil things because we are exposed to many untruthful things during our lives in the world. But it is good for us not to see, hear, and put evil things in memory so that we are kept in the truth. If you cannot avoid them, you should accept them in the way of truth and goodness.
Suppose you watched a violent scene in a movie. Some of you may think, 'It is cool'. But you can also think in view of the truth, 'Violence causes pain to others. We should be more careful.' If you have already put something in your heart in untruthful ways, you should try to change it into truthful feelings as well as not to think of them.
3. we should put ourselves in others' shoes in every circumstance
If you accept a certain situation in your own viewpoint and based on your experience and way of thinking, it may lead to work of soul improper in God's sight. Then, you may add your thoughts to what someone says or omit something from it according to your thought. It may cause judgment, condemnation, misunderstanding, and even ill feeling.
Suppose someone says to you, "I have been on Mt. Kumgang. It was so beautiful that I almost shed tears." Some may think, 'Is he saying that he shed tears seeing only a mountain? He is exaggerating!' They may think that way because they have never been that much moved by a beautiful natural view.
Say a husband came back home from work late. He is unkind and does not even answer his wife's question. She may feel uncomfortable and think, 'How could he treat me like this?' However, she can think in his shoes, 'He must be tired. He might have had hard time in workplace.' She can understand him and give him comfort. On the other hand, if the husband thinks of his wife who waits for him until late, he may not make her uncomfortable. In this way, if the husband or the wife thinks in the truth and in the other's position, peace can be maintained.
When we find out others' shortcomings, we must not judge and think, 'Why does the person always act that way?' Rather we must understand him, thinking 'There must be a reason he does so.' Even if we suffer loss because of him, we should think in his place and understand and harbor him. By doing so, if we forgive others' shortcomings and have mercy on them, we can pursue peace with all people.
Of course, it doesn't mean that we should cover their faults unconditionally and say evil doers are good. But it means we must not hate them or ignore them due to their evil. When we rebuke them for the shortcomings, we should explain about them well and help them realize their faults. We should have true love with hope that their souls will prosper.
Sometimes you may find yourself having difficulty using the work of soul belonging to the truth. Then, you should check your thoughts, feelings, words, and deeds and try hard to think in the truth. Moreover, you must receive God's strength by fervent prayer.
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