7 Key Takeaways: The Lily of the Field and The Bird of the Air
"Unlike Shrewdness, Simplicity doesn't deceive, and thus, is never deceived." - Soren Kierkegaard
- A poet's vision of the freedom of the bird is flawed. A poet looks at the bird, and her freedom to go wherever she wants is not the lesson a human being can take. Humans are neither completely free to sacrifice everything nor completely selfish to take whatever they want.
- The first lesson to learn from the lily and the bird is Silence. Both the lily and the bird stay silent despite their conditions, the unpredictability of nature, and the pain caused thereby. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and staying silent is the beginning of fear of God.
- The second lesson to learn from the lily and the bird is Obedience. They know that nothing in this world can happen without God's will. That is why they obey: they know their existence means nothing beyond carrying out God's will.
- The last lesson to learn from the lily and the bird is Joy. Both stay joyful no matter what their condition is. That doesn't mean that they don't have any problems. But their joy is not dependent on any conditions. They are unconditionally joyful. And being unconditionally joyful is being joy itself.
- No one can serve two masters. You either love God or despise him.
- Being unconditionally joyful is simply living one big day. Living like tomorrow doesn't exist.
- Simplicity is not living in any particular way. It is living your beliefs. Simplicity means the teacher IS what they teach. Thus, Lily and Bird are the best teachers.
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