Fourth Discourse in Matthew: Enter Life

If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into the hell of fire. ~ Matthew 18:8-9

Self-respect is the root of discipline: the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself. ~ Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Insecurity of Freedom

The two words that stand out for me from Jesus here are: enter life.

 Enter life.

 To enter life is to live with dignity. With integrity.

 To enter life means sometimes having the discipline to say no to oneself. 

 To put away things in our life that keep us from living that life fully.

 To move away from people that keep us from living that life fully.

 To enter life means living that life even with all its imperfections.

 To enter life means to live our life in reality, not fantasy. To be true to ourself even when parts of our life cause us pain.

 To enter life means to be the person God created us to be, not the false self the world or other people or our own insecurities try to paint us.

 To respect and love ourselves, and others, as God respects and loves us.

 Jesus came to bring life. Real life. Abundant life. Generous life.

 And all we really need to do is enter in to it! Really live it! With grace, with love, with dignity, and with integrity. 

Meditation: Spend some time in silence asking God to guide you to life your life fully and with integrity this day.

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