Introduction

Good day, everyone. Today we arrive at the sixth sermon in our series on Wisdom, Folly, and Arrogance: "The Words of the Wise are Like Goads." I have observed a peculiar aspect of human nature. A man may be short, but you must never tell him so. If you do, he will take offense. You have merely spoken a hard fact, but it does not edify. Consider a door that is built wide and low. One might ask, "Why is this door so short and stout? How unsightly." But if a short and stout person happens to stand nearby, he will feel deeply insulted. This is highly instructive.

When a man is foolish, and you point out his folly, he resents it. He suffers from hearing the truth. People can tolerate being foolish, but they cannot tolerate being told they are foolish. This is a bizarre paradox. A man errs, you correct him, and he becomes resentful. Thus, we find that the words of the wise are like goads. What is a goad? I have researched this. A goad is an instrument used to drive oxen.

When an ox becomes stubborn, no amount of gentle persuasion will move it. You must employ the goad—a stick with a sharp point. It inflicts pain, but it does not permanently injure the beast. For whom is the goad prepared? It is for the obstinate, the contrarians, the stubborn mules who possess nothing but sheer, unyielding pigheadedness. It is a highly fascinating dynamic.

The words of the wise are indeed like goads. When you hear them, you feel pricked and uncomfortable. You instinctively reject them. But let me tell you this: wisdom remains wisdom, whether you accept it or not. Do not deceive yourself into thinking that your rejection changes reality. The laws of nature and the principles of life remain entirely unaffected by your denial.

If I tell you that God is displeased with you, your immediate defense is to ask, "And is He pleased with you?" Yet, what I spoke was the plain truth. People detest the truth, yet they are strangely willing to suffer. This is highly irrational. Over the years, I have gained a deep understanding of cancer through ministering to many patients. It is grueling work; ministering to cancer patients is exceptionally difficult.

By coincidence, a close friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer. In my zeal, I offered to minister to him. This was a mistake of being "overly righteous." Initially, my ministry bore fruit. I did not dare to use the goad on him immediately—I lacked the courage then. As his condition improved, I began to speak the hard truth: cancer is a curse, an absolute curse.

I showed him the Scriptures. But he opened his own Bible and pointed to the verse stating that an undeserved curse does not come to rest. His comprehension of language was flawed. The verse means that if a curse strikes you, it is never without cause; there is always a reason. Yet he only focused on the phrase "does not come to rest," ignoring the reality that it had come upon him, meaning there was indeed a cause.

Ultimately, he died a miserable death. I realized then my own foolishness. Sometimes a goad can be used; sometimes it cannot. If used improperly, it turns back to prick you. Recently, several pastors visited me to observe our work. As I described our ministry, they found it incredibly demanding. I had to exercise great restraint, holding back certain truths to maintain order.

Among them was a pastor who had battled cancer for six years. You cannot simply tell such a person that his methods are foolish and his work has gone completely awry. If you do, he will not even argue with you. Have you noticed how people can offer a mountain of explanations, yet at the end of the day, their work remains a failure? I have realized that people crave sweet words, but a constant diet of flattery only breeds foolishness.

Let me be blunt: the greatest danger for any man is a lack of self-awareness. When you sit in a position of high authority, surrounded by sycophants, no one will tell you the truth. They speak with ulterior motives, flattering you to gain favor and secure advantages.

Sometimes, people deceive themselves into believing they possess competence they utterly lack. If you lack ability, that is a hard fact. Therefore, I tell you: what you like to hear is rarely beneficial, while what you dislike hearing is often of the greatest utility.

For instance, some people from Shanghai called me a "little hedgehog" or a "little beast." Why did they insult me? Upon reflection, I realized I indeed have some prickly traits that must be corrected. I would ask my congregation, "Brothers and sisters, in what way am I acting like a hedgehog? Please tell me, for I fail to see it myself."

"Let me reflect on this, and I will return to discuss it with you." Yet, in all my years of ministry, I have never met anyone who responds this way. Most people flare up instantly: "Who are you calling a hedgehog? You are the old hedgehog!" It is highly unpleasant.

Others have called me a "stubborn mule." At first, I did not understand, but upon looking it up, I found it was a derogatory term for an obstinate donkey. No one likes to hear such things. Is it absolute truth? Perhaps not. But the words of wisdom operate on the same principle. If you constantly examine where you have gone wrong, then being called a hedgehog or a stubborn mule matters very little. Let them say what they will.

We must reflect deeply on whether we are indeed foolish. Perhaps we are indeed stubborn mules and hedgehogs. This logic may seem unusual to some, but the solution is simple: if we have prickly traits, we must eliminate them—whether it is 10% or more, we must root it out.

God does not make mistakes, and neither does the devil. It is we who constantly err. If a man realizes he is prone to error, will he lose the courage to live? Scripture declares that we are all sinners and foolish men. The language of Scripture is far harsher than being called a "little hedgehog."

Therefore, mankind stands in dire need of the goad. How do curses come upon us? They come because we fail to observe and follow God's commands. Do not flatter yourselves. Use the goad to strip away the veneer of self-righteousness and expose what we are at our core. If a man has the courage to do this, he will undoubtedly become wise.

Let me repeat: if you are wise, does the goad still feel like a goad? If you humble your heart and examine yourself before God, the goad loses its sting. Why does it hurt so much? Because you are behaving like a stubborn mule, insisting on your own way. If God does not use the goad to prick us, we are lost. Wise men do not follow their own inclinations; they align themselves with God's will and the objective laws of reality.

I often observe people among us who say, "Pastor, I do not agree with what you said." In my heart, I think, "What credentials do you have to disagree? Your understanding is abysmally low, yet you wish to debate agreement with me." In the past, I would have argued. Now, I remain silent. I simply reply, "You must be wiser than I, or perhaps you should find a leader whose views align with yours." Then I turn away, leaving them to their own devices.

People often do not even understand what they agree or disagree with; they simply reject what they dislike. But truth is rarely agreeable to human nature. If it were easily accepted by all, would it still be the truth? I assure you, truth is never in the hands of the masses. The reason is simple: the cognitive level of the masses is inherently limited.

Why does capital treat the masses as "chives" to be harvested? Because they behave like chives. If you are born to be harvested, how can you expect to be the chef? Capitalists understand human folly thoroughly. Governments understand human nature deeply; otherwise, how could they govern a populace of undisciplined rabble? Truth, therefore, does not reside with the majority.

How then do we cease being chives and become something of substance? How do we stop being repeatedly harvested? We must acquire wisdom. We need the goad to eliminate the folly within us. For our church to achieve a monumental victory, every brother and sister must stop relying on me to be your goad. You must apply the goad to yourselves. You must recognize your own faults.

If you are not conscious of your sins, you will suffer. This is a fundamental truth. If you refuse to acknowledge your faults, you will simply endure more suffering. I will no longer point them out to you; if I do, I become the target of your resentment. In the past, I was foolish enough to correct people directly. Now, I merely smile. Let experience teach you through suffering. My past methods of pastoring were flawed. I have adjusted my strategy. When I err, I correct myself immediately.

Today, I speak wise things only to the wise. Before you speak the truth, you must first assess whether the listener can bear it. We are in a phase of self-awakening. Some ask me to analyze their situation, but when I do, their faces fall. This will not do. I must immediately soften my words.

Recognizing your own problems is half the battle won. The reason many of our brothers and sisters will achieve a great victory is that you have begun to recognize your own issues. Once you do, the words of wisdom cease to prick you. You are no longer a stubborn mule; you have become wise. The trajectory of a man's life is determined by his ability to transcend his own cognitive limitations.

Those with low cognitive capacity possess fragile, outsized egos. Examine yourselves: is your self-esteem easily wounded? Those with low cognitive capacity are easily hurt because they lack wisdom; they are fragile. If you elevate your cognitive level, the path becomes clear. Is our understanding aligned with the truth? If our minds are filled with folly, we must undergo a radical adjustment.

Scripture

Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd.

Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:9-14)

Prayer

Lord God, let Your wise words prick our hearts today. Work a marvelous work within us, that we may awaken and recognize our own shortcomings. Grant us wisdom and understanding, that we may be like the Teacher—wise, reflective, diligent, and upright.

May Your words be pleasing to us. Deliver us from our stubbornness and our obstinate, rebellious attitudes. Let Your words no longer be a painful goad, but let us receive them with joy. Lead us out of our foolish misconceptions into the fullness of Your grace, that we may fear You all the days of our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

When Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, he concluded the final chapter with a sharp observation: the words of the wise are like goads—like sharp prodding sticks. Why goads? Because he realized that stubborn, argumentative fools—what I call "argumentative donkeys"—are everywhere, while wise men are rare. After he wrote this, many surely came to argue with him. "How can you say everything is vanity?" they would ask. "If it is all vanity, why did you build all those grand palaces?" They came to argue, to nitpick, and to challenge him.

His own son was likely of the same mold—a chronic contrarian. He was a contrarian in his youth, and a stubborn old contrarian in his old age. A stubborn young donkey grows up to be a stubborn old mule. Can you tolerate such a person? It is impossible.

Once a person grows old, change becomes extremely difficult. If you cannot correct yourself in your youth, how do you expect to change when you are old? It is highly improbable. This is why Solomon warned: remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them." What does it mean to remember your Creator? It means to remember God’s Word. Do not be quick to reject truth just because it disagrees with your narrow views. To insist only on your own opinions is sheer foolishness.

When old age arrives and suffering begins, you will have no power to reverse the situation. You will be utterly helpless. I look at this with deep concern. Therefore, act quickly while you are young, before the days of decay arrive. Remember your Creator, acquire wisdom, and do not live in such a way that you end up as just another victim of senile dementia.

My words are sharp, but they are true. Remember, you are your mother's child. No matter how much you disagree with her, you will eventually find her traits in yourself. You see your mother suffering from dementia, and you think you are different because you have not reached that stage yet. You may reject her ways, but you are simply becoming another version of her. She, too, rejected her parents' ways when she was young. In the end, genetics do not lie; the resemblance is inevitable.

Solomon observed this and realized that if people cannot change in old age, will the young even listen? The hard truth is this: what a man reaps in life is exactly what he has sown.

Remember Him before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow down; when the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows grow dim; when the doors are shut in the streets, and the sound of grinding is low; when one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of music are brought low.

Also they are afraid of height, and terrors are in the way; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper is a burden, and desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets. Remember Him before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "all is vanity." (Ecclesiastes 1:2-8)

Do not deceive yourselves into thinking it is easier to change when you are old. You reap what you sow; this is an iron law of life. If a man is a stubborn donkey in his youth, he will simply be an old donkey in his old age. If he is shrewd when young, he will be a cunning old man. If he is a thorn in his youth, he will become a hardened, rigid thorn in his old age.

My objective is to train all of you to be preachers—men and women of knowledge and wisdom, who receive wise counsel as pleasant words. If you react to wisdom as if it were a painful goad, then we are finished. Therefore, brothers and sisters, heed this warning. Solomon’s ultimate conclusion is simple: fear God. Remember, you do not decide your own end; God does.

If a person lives entirely by his own desires until old age, how can he avoid suffering? It is impossible. I hope my words shake you out of your complacency. You must fear God. Why? Because it is directly linked to blessings and curses. Look around you. How many people actually understand the reality of blessings and curses? Very few. Most are completely ignorant.

Recently, a pastor told me, "Pastor Liu, what you teach is excellent. I agree with it completely because it clearly explains many perplexing issues." The reality of blessings and curses is that they do not yield immediate results. You do not sow a curse today and reap the consequences tomorrow.

You sow a seed today, another tomorrow, and another the day after. Years later, the harvest begins. When that day comes, what will you do? You must eat the fruit of your own labor. This is why the conclusion of the matter is to fear God. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.

If you observe closely, this world is a clear reflection of blessings and curses. If a person takes this earthly life too seriously, it is a sure sign of a curse. Therefore, it is better to be prodded occasionally by the sharp words of wisdom now, rather than face a fatal blow later. Take Absalom as an example. He was exceptionally shrewd. His mother was a princess, and his father was David—a highly capable man. Absalom was the elite of the elite.

Yet, he sowed curses daily. He usurped David’s throne, believing he could rule. He completely ignored the warnings—the small prods—that were meant to correct him. His mind was clouded by pride. When a man becomes arrogant, he becomes deaf to all counsel.

Then came the fatal blow—the ultimate spear. Do you know what happened? He was caught hanging from a tree, and they pierced him through. The gentle prods of wise counsel were like mere tickles to Absalom; he ignored them. In the end, hanging helpless from that tree, he was struck down by a real spear. Since he refused the small prods of wisdom, he had to face the fatal spear that ended his life.

Many of us are no different. You sow curses day after day, thinking nothing is wrong because there are no immediate consequences. But when the day of reckoning comes, it will be fatal. Brothers and sisters, you must fear God. Every hidden thing, whether good or evil, will be judged. Be careful. When people ask me foolish questions like, "Pastor, I was fine for ten years, why has this problem suddenly returned?" I tell them: it is because God has brought your past deeds into judgment.

We are, by nature, sinners. You may not have committed heinous crimes, but you live too seriously for this world. You place immense value on eating, drinking, and material comfort. But is that truth? No, it is folly. This brings us back to the first principle of wisdom: the heart of the wise is on the right, but the heart of the fool is on the left. Fools only care about living a comfortable life, blind to the reality that they and their children will eventually die.

The greatest legacy you can leave your children is the wisdom to see through life and death. Of course, for an uneducated child from a rural village, grasping this reality is extremely difficult. I was fortunate; my circumstances allowed me to see through these things. Without such grace, it is nearly impossible. In Ecclesiastes chapter 12, Solomon wrote that the words of the wise are like goads—uncomfortable to hear, but highly beneficial.

Let us summarize our recent series on wisdom, folly, and arrogance. Every single message has been a sharp prod. They have pricked me deeply as well. You might ask, "How did they prick you, Pastor?" Let me tell you, preparing these six sermons was an exhausting process that stripped away a layer of skin. Let us address these sharp truths directly.

The Heart of the Wise is on the Right, but the Heart of the Fool is on the Left

If you take an X-ray, your physical heart is on the left. When I went for an X-ray, I asked the doctor, "Where is my heart?" He looked at me as if I were stupid and said, "On the left, of course." The truth is, I too have been a fool. I have done my share of foolish things.

The saying "the heart of the wise is on the right, but the heart of the fool is on the left" means we must actively correct our natural alignment. Left to our own devices, we follow our natural, foolish inclinations. But wisdom demands that we align ourselves to the "right"—which means rejecting human desires and choosing God's way.

For example, if a ruler’s anger rises against you, your natural instinct is to argue and defend yourself. You want to say, "Why am I wrong?" But arguing with authority is foolish; you will only suffer for it. The pragmatic approach is to maintain good relations with those above you. Furthermore, you must recognize danger—like those who dig pits or break through walls. If your tools are blunt, you must sharpen them.

"If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed." Is this not basic wisdom? If you work inefficiently, you are doing it wrong. Human nature is peculiar; we hate to be corrected. This is where the sharp prods come in. A foolish person might work slowly or make mistakes, but he cannot tolerate being told so. What kind of attitude is that?

Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips. At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness. (Ecclesiastes 10:12-13)

This is the anatomy of a fool: incoherent speech coupled with laziness, leading to a life of unnecessary hardship. I urge you to review these teachings. Examine how much of your natural "left-leaning" folly you have corrected to the "right." Let these words remain as constant, sharp reminders in your life.

The Heart of the Wise is in the House of Mourning

Does this sound offensive to you? If your mother passes away, and I tell you "the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning," you might accuse me of rubbing salt into your wounds. But this is the reality. A wise person keeps death in mind, knowing that the day of death is better than the day of birth. Can you accept this hard truth? Most cannot.

Go to a hospital and tell a dying patient to rest in peace. He will cling desperately to life. Yet the fact remains: the day of death is better than the day of birth because it brings rest from earthly labor. If someone has a terminal illness, try telling him the plain truth.

The doctor, a professional, says he has six months to live. If you repeat this truth to him, he might assault you. Try telling a stranger on the street that he has six months left, and you will get a slap in the face.

That is not a gentle prod; that is a physical blow. Yet, what did Solomon write? "The day of death is better than the day of birth, and it is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting." Personally, I find value in attending funerals, even if it makes others uncomfortable. Seeing death clears my mind.

It forces me to ask: what will happen when I am the one lying in that coffin? Recently, a pastor asked me, "Pastor Liu, have you planned for your succession?" Succession? I only hope no major crises occur while I am alive. Once I am dead, what happens to the church is no longer my concern. If it collapses, so be it. You might find this shocking, but I smile because it is not my responsibility. It is God's. I simply entrust it to Him.

The Day of Death is Better Than the Day of Birth

Once I am dead, why should I concern myself with the living? I would have rested from my earthly labors. Why should I continue to toil? I cannot manage the troubles of others anyway. With my limited vision, I cannot even see things clearly. Let people live as they choose.

I do not carry this burden on my heart. Even if I did, I am not God. It is Jesus Christ who builds His church upon the rock, not I. That I am chosen is entirely by His grace; God surely has His arrangements. This is a reality that ordinary people find difficult to stomach.

Go to a hospital and tell the patients that death is better than life. See how they react. They will think you are cursing them. They cannot accept it. Yet, the Scriptures tell us that the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning. Brothers and sisters, you must understand that the day of death is better than the day of birth.

If you fear death, your perspective is warped. Fear of death leads inevitably to depression. If you cling too tightly to this life, you will suffer. I have observed that those of us who have seen through the illusions of life and death tend to live long, robust lives; they do not die easily. It is those who take this life too seriously, who fear death and live as if they will go on forever, who struggle the most.

Once you believe you can live forever, your financial calculations fall apart. How do you fund an eternal life? If I calculate living to 150, withered and constantly in and out of hospitals, it is like maintaining a vintage car—a major overhaul every five kilometers. The cost is prohibitive.

So, at sixty-odd years old, a man thinks, "If I am to live to 150, my goodness, I must make money quickly." Thus, even while battling cancer for years, he continues to toil for money because some fortune-teller told him he would live to 150. What folly.

The day of death is better than the day of birth. Once a man dies, he no longer spends money. He rests from his earthly labors, and all his anxieties vanish. I once made a remark that was widely misunderstood. I joked that one day I would choose to fast and pray for eighty days. It was merely a joke, and I have had no occasion to do it. God is gracious to me; I will not have to take such a path.

Some people misheard this and thought, "My goodness, is this not suicide?" Let me tell you, if a man has the spiritual resolve to fast and pray for eighty days, he is not a man who commits suicide. Besides, who is to say that two or three days of fasting and prayer would not suffice?

Therefore, brothers and sisters, keep death in mind. We must all depart. To depart early and in good health is far better than to depart late, paralyzed in bed, unable to care for oneself for years, or confined to a wheelchair. A clean, swift departure is infinitely better.

If you are wise, do not pray for mere longevity. Tell God, "While I am still strong, before the days of decline arrive, let me depart." Is this not a better way? But you can only speak of this to those who understand. If you speak to the ignorant, they will cling desperately to life. Even when hooked up to tubes, they refuse to let go. Let them remain plugged in, then.

Do Not Be Overrighteous

Man often forgets his own limitations. What can a man achieve by his own strength? If God makes something crooked, who can make it straight? When God bends something, His power is absolute; with a single finger, He can bend many.

Some people are born crooked. If I exhaust myself trying to straighten them, only for God to bend them again, I am merely fighting against God. That is the height of folly—being overrighteous.

Over time, I observed the affairs of this world and realized they are all ordained by God. I decided to stop fighting Him. If I see that a person's time has come, I do not desperately pray for their physical healing. I say, let us not pray for healing; their time is up. If it is not, and we pray with the attitude that their time has come, they might actually recover. We do not contend with God.

I recall praying with cancer patients, sometimes for three hours, sometimes for over twenty hours. Eventually, we realized that the illness was sent by God. If it is from God, how can I remove it? I cannot.

Therefore, do not attempt to straighten what God has made crooked. This is the way of the world: there are righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and wicked men who prolong their lives in their wickedness. You will never fully comprehend this on a human level. If you wish to understand, do not look under the sun; look to spiritual laws.

Do not be overrighteous, nor be overwicked. Why destroy yourself? This may sound harsh, but it is the truth of God.

Discerning Times and Procedures

To discern times and procedures is vital. Take business, for example. You cannot be too far ahead of your time. Before the iPhone, HP released a device with a physical keyboard, which I used. Then Blackberry did the same. I used those too, but they ultimately failed.

Apple eliminated the physical keyboard, introduced the touch screen, and mastered the timing. Then came the 3G revolution, which propelled several industry giants to success. Today, the telecommunications sector is struggling; the transition from 3G to 5G has exhausted its momentum.

But Huawei adapted early. They turned adversity into advantage. Once a network giant, they diversified into smart cars, mobile phones, and microchips. Everything has its appointed time and procedure. If your judgment of the future is accurate, you will succeed.

Because everything has its time and procedure, the burden of ignorance falls heavily on man. I speak often on discerning times and procedures. To enjoy the fruits of one's labor in this life is a gift. Many live under the tyranny of "996" or "007" work schedules. I have transcended this.

I work hard—this is no exaggeration—but I enjoy my labor. When I share this principle of enjoying one's work, some think I am brainwashing them.

Is there anyone here who thinks this is brainwashing? If you do not enjoy your labor, what is the point of your existence? When I was a student, I did not engage in the stressful competition and comparison that make life miserable. I enjoyed my studies. In my work, I find enjoyment. If you saw me work, you would envy me.

Other pastors look at me with envy. How can this man work so effortlessly, without stress, yet produce more than ten or even a hundred of them combined? It is because I find joy in my work. If you work with a grimace, under constant pressure, that is foolishness. It simply means you do not know how to work.

To work without enjoyment is a tragedy. It leads to poor results, which makes enjoyment impossible. Discerning times and procedures is about efficiency, not brute force. If you master this, it is difficult not to succeed.

If you try to compete with me on these terms, you will lose. Do not blame me; this is simply how I operate. I once ministered to a pastor who had brain cancer. I asked him why he got cancer. He replied, "As pastors, we only rest one day a week."

I said, "Pastor, you are the leader of a large church. Since my youth, I have barely taken a single day off, yet I do not have brain cancer." When I was in school, I slept in class. My classmates thought I was lazy, but they did not know that I studied at home and mastered the syllabus over the weekends. By the time Monday came, I had already read the material. Why should I not sleep in class?

Sometimes, my actions puzzle people. One evening, I told everyone to go to sleep. But I could not sleep, so I got up to write code. The next morning, I uploaded the program. They said, "You told us to sleep, yet you were working!" I replied, "I did it out of concern for your well-being."

To the Person Who Pleases Him, God Gives Wisdom, Knowledge, and Joy

God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please Him. This truth can be hard to accept for some. There are those whose lives are a complete mess, yet they blame the heavens, the earth, and the stars. They cry, "God, why do you not favor me? See how hard I work!" They miss the fundamental point.

The most important asset a man can have is joy. If your work makes you neurotic, how can God be pleased with you? If you place too much weight on your survival, your food, and your tasks, you will live under constant pressure.

You are not Abraham; you are "Alexander"—burdened by pressure. I tell you, pleasing God is the key. How do you please Him? By seeing through the illusions of this life. I understood this from a young age. When you please God, He endows you with wisdom, knowledge, and joy.

Many are quick to shift blame and make excuses. They refuse to correct their mistakes or discern times and procedures. How can they not suffer? My messages contain sharp truths. They are meant to prick your conscience and wake you up, so that you may become joyful, efficient, and wise.

Enjoy your labor; do not treat it as a painful sacrifice to God. If you seek a model, look to my example. The secrets to this life are written in these messages. Acquire wisdom.

May God bless you.