Of all places, why in a house of God?

Learning Point No 411

A temple or church is for those who need to seek solace or to find peace away from the world. Is this true? 

Frankly speaking, where ever men may be, there will always be issues of men and the issues of men are always many and plentiful. 

Hopefully, in a church or temple, men there will see the light and there is some hope that there will be less or no issues. But the reality is that where men go, there the issues of men will be. 

The fault may not be in men but in life and the whole of nature or universe. Where on earth will there be no yin and yang, the passive and the active? 

If the answer is obvious and if that be so, surely even in the house of God, there will be yin and yang and the problems arising from yin and yang as well as the many and plentiful issues of men. The issues are due to the inability of men to be atop and balance the yin and yang so as to have the peace. 

Expect not the goody two shoes in a church or temple. Expect too to find the worst of men in a church or temple. Expect not the pastor or priest to be above board as long as man is man and still not saint.

They may even carry the cross of God and the burden of man for other men but yet create more burden and problems for fellow men. 

This you may say will pollute the house of God but it is for the wrong in men that the house of God is meant for. 

If the house of God does not open its doors to such men, then who is more worthy to be in the house of God so that they may learn? Such men need to learn and deserve to learn. 

Even if they fail to learn, at least they are there and if they suffer from not being good enough for God, they will still find that God is good enough for them. God do truly value them without reservations even if in critical eyes of men, their apparent value to God appears somewhat minuscule because they are so fraught and tainted with wrong and mischief. But all are worthy of God, even the criminal at the gallows. 

They may even be like wolves in sheep's clothing and can even be pastors, ministers, lay leaders, monks and what have you. 

Yes they can be notorious and infamous but they too may still be worthy to God and men. Had it not been for them, many of the good works in the temple or church will not have come about. 

Great men may have great faults. If by any chance, they can turn around and correct themselves, they will be truly great. 

They have contributed to what the church or temple is, both the worthy and not so worthy. Men may be disgusted with them when they find them wanting, given their roles and appointments. 

Of all places, why must such men chose to commit themselves in the house of God? Can they commit only the good and no wrong? Even if they commit only good and no wrong, are their motives really as good as the good they rendered? 

Lord Bo Tien has mentioned that we see all kinds of people in a temple or church. Learn from their good and learn from their weaknesses as well, so that we be better off. 

It is not just that they should wake up and learn but more important that we learn even if they fail to learn. 

Is there the need to think adversely thus ?  "Of all places, why in a house of God?" 

Moreover, the lord saint did opine, "Blame not the flower for insects coming to the flower for nectar." 

He also said, "If Heaven and the lord saint so decide, even a criminal can be chosen to be trained in Tao (Way) and to be the medium for the work of Heaven". This is so that men can see what is due to man and what is due to God. He added, "Man is man and God is God" 

Jesus said, "Give to man (the land) what is due to man (the land) and to God what is due to God" and "Do not judge lest ye be judge." 

Men in a temple or church is more than likely to see the dust in others eyes than in their own. This too did Jesus say. "It is easy to see the dust on others' eyes than to see the dust on your own eyes." 

With regards to a temple of the lord saint Lord Bo Tien, this has been said. The lord saint is like the great ocean. No amount of debris and mud flowing into the ocean will pollute it (even in the long term). 

What a shame and let down if men of the lord saint might come to blows and speak ill of one another in the house of God when they should think and speak well of one another in the very house of the lord. 

But the house of God is like the great ocean as well. The lack of better caliber and character in men, if any, at any temple will make no dent or impact in the good name of that temple as what matters is the doctrine and the temple saint. 

If men at a temple live in doctrine and in faith, these should uplift them in caliber and in character many notches, making these men even better models for others to emulate and follow.  

Omitofo and so shall this be and this has been the case, not just in one or two temples or churches but in countless many the world over, as evidently shown by history of the past decades. Praise God that this is so. 

But perhaps, the often ignored flip side is that temples and churches can better the record as imperfection rules and abides at every turn and corner where men succumbs to yin and yang rather than be atop yin and yang. 

Do meditate on this and be more aware and insightful. 

Of all places, why in a house of God? The answer to this question is not as plain as we perceive. 

The lord saint is like the great ocean. No amount of mud flowing into the ocean will pollute it even in the long term