SIN
Many times this subject occupied my mind; I have spent many, many hours thinking what sin is. In reality finding what is sin is not all that difficult. You will say any intentional action that can cause harm to any other soul can be classified as sin. But before I elaborate on this subject I will like to share with you a story that I have heard when I was about 35 years old. It went like this:
“A man was feeling as if he had a big heavy load in his heart and wanted to confess his many sins. The problem was that he did not trust the priests of any religion, so he did not know where to turn and what to do, until someone suggested to him to go and see a wise old man who lived in a cave in the desert. So one day he followed the path through the desert to the old man’s cave. When he arrived there he said:
"Good morning teacher, I came because I want you to help me relieve the burden in my heart".
The old man asked him to sit on the ground near him and they started talking. The man said:
"Master I have many sins, I have killed a person". And the old man’s answer was, "Do not worry that can be forgiven".
Then the man said" Master I have committed adultery". And the answer again was "Do not worry that can be forgiven".
Next he confessed that he stole and the answer again "Do not worry that can be forgiven".
Anyhow to cut a long story short the answer was always the same for any sin he was confessing until the man was running out of sins. The old man then asked "Are you sure that these are all the sins you have committed? Are you absolutely sure that that is all"? Then the man said "Ah! there is one more little thing, Once I spread a false rumour about a friend of mine. But that is only a small thing". The old man thought for a minute and said. "This is really very serious; I need more time to think about it. In the mean time can you do me a favour? Go down to the city and buy me a live chicken and on the way back here please kill it and pluck it".
And that is what our man did. He bought the chicken, killed it as he was instructed and plucked it. By the time he reached the old man the chicken was completely clean. He gave it to the old man who then said "Son now I want you to go back in the desert and pick up all the feathers".
The man looked astonished and said "How can I pick up all the feathers? The wind would have taken them here and there". And the old man said "Son this is exactly what you did.”
In other words it is the little things that matter in our life. Our biggest enemy is our mouth and our thoughts, the things we say and the things we think. So, as I have said many times before, fill up you heart with love, have only loving thoughts and say only loving things. Anything that is done with love, and because of love, and for love can only be good, can only be pleasing to God. Anything that is said or done with hate, or in order to trap or hurt another soul, anything that is done for self gratification can only be a SIN.
Now, to me, the above statement gives the answer to another question. When pumishing a child is a good thing and when it is a bad thing. If you punish a child (within reason and not in any excessive way) for something that the child did wrong because you want with all your love to bring the child back on to the straight then how can that be wrong? If you punish a child because he/she made your life more difficult or without loving care, then it is wrong. Do not worry, the children can sense when a punishment is given because of love or because of the parent’s hurt ego.
So in order to find your answer to what is sin you have to dig deep into your heart with love, honesty and objectivity and you will find the answer. The first answer that comes in your mind question it, think about it again, and again with love, honesty and objectivity and if it is still the same then that is your answer.
Many times this subject occupied my mind; I have spent many, many hours thinking what sin is. In reality finding what is sin is not all that difficult. You will say any intentional action that can cause harm to any other soul can be classified as sin. But before I elaborate on this subject I will like to share with you a story that I have heard when I was about 35 years old. It went like this:
“A man was feeling as if he had a big heavy load in his heart and wanted to confess his many sins. The problem was that he did not trust the priests of any religion, so he did not know where to turn and what to do, until someone suggested to him to go and see a wise old man who lived in a cave in the desert. So one day he followed the path through the desert to the old man’s cave. When he arrived there he said:
"Good morning teacher, I came because I want you to help me relieve the burden in my heart".
The old man asked him to sit on the ground near him and they started talking. The man said:
"Master I have many sins, I have killed a person". And the old man’s answer was, "Do not worry that can be forgiven".
Then the man said" Master I have committed adultery". And the answer again was "Do not worry that can be forgiven".
Next he confessed that he stole and the answer again "Do not worry that can be forgiven".
Anyhow to cut a long story short the answer was always the same for any sin he was confessing until the man was running out of sins. The old man then asked "Are you sure that these are all the sins you have committed? Are you absolutely sure that that is all"? Then the man said "Ah! there is one more little thing, Once I spread a false rumour about a friend of mine. But that is only a small thing". The old man thought for a minute and said. "This is really very serious; I need more time to think about it. In the mean time can you do me a favour? Go down to the city and buy me a live chicken and on the way back here please kill it and pluck it".
And that is what our man did. He bought the chicken, killed it as he was instructed and plucked it. By the time he reached the old man the chicken was completely clean. He gave it to the old man who then said "Son now I want you to go back in the desert and pick up all the feathers".
The man looked astonished and said "How can I pick up all the feathers? The wind would have taken them here and there". And the old man said "Son this is exactly what you did.”
In other words it is the little things that matter in our life. Our biggest enemy is our mouth and our thoughts, the things we say and the things we think. So, as I have said many times before, fill up you heart with love, have only loving thoughts and say only loving things. Anything that is done with love, and because of love, and for love can only be good, can only be pleasing to God. Anything that is said or done with hate, or in order to trap or hurt another soul, anything that is done for self gratification can only be a SIN.
Now, to me, the above statement gives the answer to another question. When pumishing a child is a good thing and when it is a bad thing. If you punish a child (within reason and not in any excessive way) for something that the child did wrong because you want with all your love to bring the child back on to the straight then how can that be wrong? If you punish a child because he/she made your life more difficult or without loving care, then it is wrong. Do not worry, the children can sense when a punishment is given because of love or because of the parent’s hurt ego.
So in order to find your answer to what is sin you have to dig deep into your heart with love, honesty and objectivity and you will find the answer. The first answer that comes in your mind question it, think about it again, and again with love, honesty and objectivity and if it is still the same then that is your answer.
© Copyright 2011, Pakenham Spiritualist Church
