“Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Bible Book of Romans Chapter twelve verse two
Not every fall begins with hatred of truth. Many falls begin with love for appearances.
Some do not turn away from wisdom because they despise it. They turn because something glittered louder. Admiration can be more dangerous than rebellion, because rebellion often knows it is wrong, but admiration often disguises itself as innocence.
What we celebrate enters us. What we constantly admire begins to shape our senses.
WHEN THE EYE BECOMES A STUDENT
Human beings become like what they gaze at repeatedly. Attention is not neutral. It is a sculptor.
Many think corruption always arrives as open wickedness. Often it comes clothed in charm, beauty, fame, eloquence, wealth, and influence.
The eye can be captured before the conscience is consulted.
When admiration grows excessive, judgment weakens. We excuse faults because we like the face carrying them. We defend errors because they come from voices we enjoy.
Thus sensitivity is often lost quietly, not by war against truth, but by romance with illusion.
THE POTTER AND THE PAINTED CALABASH
In an old riverside village lived a young potter named Deka. His hands were known for making strong clay vessels that held water through long dry seasons.
One day traders arrived with painted calabashes shining in many colors. The people praised their beauty. Deka too became enchanted.
He stopped shaping durable pots and began copying bright decorations. His vessels looked beautiful, but cracked at first heat and leaked at first use.
The elders warned him, “Color can please the eye while emptiness betrays the hand.”
But Deka would not listen.
When drought came, the painted calabashes held no water. The village returned to the old clay jars, and Deka wept for the skill he had neglected.
The elders then said:
The hand that chases glitter may forget substance.
INSIGHT
Many people attach their worth to admired figures, admired trends, or admired images. Then truth feels offensive and honesty feels like betrayal.
Healing begins when one asks:
Why do I admire this?
Does it make me wiser or merely excited?
Am I growing or only copying?
LIGHT
Anything so admired that it silences conscience becomes an altar.
Not everything bright is guidance.
Not everything popular is pure.
Not everything impressive is trustworthy.
Guard your inner sensitivity.
QUESTIONS FOR THE SOUL
What have I praised so much that I stopped examining it?
Am I attracted to substance or only surface?
Is what I admire helping me become deeper, or merely louder?
