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ON MEDITATION There are a few well meaning Christian friends who ask me about my leaning towards eastern philosophy and meditation. I w...

Monday, March 23, 2015

FOILS AND MISDEEDS

A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the Lord.
-Proverbs 19:3

We have to admit that at times, we are predisposed to act foolishly. Man is apt to foils and misdeeds. 

This wisdom saying only states the obvious truth. It is man’s own folly, his own self-will, which overturns his way, blundering about in what he calls misfortune. We may have acted foolishly without thought of obeying God or waiting for His direction. The result could be trouble .   And when this happens we fret and blame the providence of God. We look at ourselves as unfortunate victims, refusing to admit any blame for the consequences of our foolish acts. Instead of accepting responsibility we fret and blame God for appointing the troubles which visit us.

The great St. Augustine said, “Say not thou it is through the Lord that I foil away;  for thou oughtest not to   do the things that he hateth. Say not thou He has caused me to err; for he hath no need of the sinful man.”

The same thought is expressed in more poetic verses by the great Alexander Pope:

“Perverse mankind! whose wills, created free,
Charge all their woes in absolute decree;
All to the dooming gods their guilt translate,
And follies are miscalled the crimes of fate.”




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