Jacob and Esau

In Malachi 1:2, it is written: "I have shown love to you," says the Lord, but you say, "How have you shown love to us?"  "Esau was Jacob's brother," the Lord explains, "yet I chose Jacob."

Jacob. The second born-inferior from the very beginning, unable to receive the blessing of the firstborn. Yet he was blessed as firstborn.

Jacob. The one whose name was given to him due to his persistence to gain his brother's birthright. And he did win it over Esau. With a bowl of red-bean soup.

Now, how does this affect us all? We all have, in our lives, an "Esau". He represents one who lives skillfully, successfully. And we all grow jealous.

Yet, there are two reactions. The first, their jealously kills their spirit. Their fire no longer burns, and in their heart, a statement lives.

"How can I ever beat this man?'

Yet the other lets their jealously encourage them. They say and declare Psalm 61:2.

From the most remote place on earth I call out to you in my despair. Lead me up to an inaccessible rocky summit!

Which one are you?

Deductive Fallacy: Explanation

We usually presume life as linear. A happens because of B, B happens because of C. This leads us to conclude that because C happens, A must happen. This is not always the case. 

Suppose that you have just lost your job. Maybe it is because of that lazy yet unforgiving manager that does nothing behind the door. This manager, you assume, hates you. He gives you tasks that are always tiring, never giving you rest. And after all that, he fires you! 

You come home, head down, eyes tearing up and fists clenched. You are mad, really mad. After day after day of hardwork, this is how you are treated? Your rage gets worse, and your mind is blurred. You blurt out curses, deciding that you now hate the world. 

This temper never leaves you, and in your new, more awesome job, your anger prevents you from working as hard as you did with your previous awful manager. Lesson learnt, you said, and your mind is set on this is statement: 

"The last time I worked hard, I got fired. Why work hard this time?"

Maybe it is true that manager despises you. But look at fate: you got a new, much better job because of him firing you! But anger and hate still linger, stopping you from doing you absolute best. Why? 

When your mind settles on an opinion, usually, it is very hard to rid of that opinion. Our minds are set to analyse the facts, and piece them together to form a statement. This is called deductive fallacy. 

The facts may be true, but the conclusion, and the resulting action, is false. 

Black and White

  Imagine a blank white sheet. It's just white, nothing is on it. Then place a small, black dot in the center. The black dot represents a misfit, a mistake of some sort. We don't need to focus on this black dot. Yet on the white canvas, it sticks out like a sore thumb.
  Now, imagine a scenario, where a man is praised for his purity, how 'white his heart is'. A crowd surrounds him, just wondering, who is that? Out of the blue a man points out, "Hey, I know him! He borrowed some sugar from me and never returned it!"
  Suddenly people start to question. In their realization, they hissed at him, cursing him. But the man really did nothing wrong, he was given the sugar. 
  I've observed many people crushed by lies, and many more that believed those lies. A whole train begins to form, and the victim is left hopeless, depressed even. Even if they are not lies, I've seen people getting harassed for the wrong he did in the past.

Are we in that train?

To wisdom I fear,
To reasoning I do not hear.
Oh this flesh of mine,
Why destroy The Lord's shrine?

Extinguish

  But, somehow, that fire slowly died. It burned away, the wood turned to ash. I started to walk backwards, and started to blame the innocent God for all my troubles. 

But how? 

  I don't know at all. It sneaked off my heart like a small ant. I didn't notice it, nor did I care. My pursuits became empty, I was completely hollow inside. Again. Slowly, I transformed to a slightly better version of myself. 

  I know for a fact, that The Lord's influence never leaves a man, but The Lord himself will, eventually. He doesn't push you at all, and doesn't punish you. But when you return to his hands, he will gladly accept you. 

One night, while I was playing my butt off, I had these few words in my heart: 

You said you wanted to change the world. 

I stopped. I stared at the screen.  The world just paused for a while. Then there's a second voice. 

But changing the world isn't possible! Your only a child! 

The words of God and the devil was certainly different. One was hard, but gentle. The other was demanding and tempting. I knew what to do. 

I stopped, and prayed. I didn't like it, but I did, anyways. Why? I don't know. I just did. 

And so spawned these three stories. I hope you don't have to learn it the way I did.