I was reading Matthew as I am wont to do and I noticed something I found notable. This is the oldest version we have of the Bible— The Codex Sinaiticus. Chapter 5 verse 45:

“that you may become sons of your Father who is in the heavens; for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends his rain on the just and the unjust.”

Jesus is an analogue for the Sun/human soul. So I found it interesting Jesus uses the metaphor of God sending his “Sun” (Son) to rise on the evil and the good.”

Let’s read on because it’s fun.

46 For if you love them that love you, what reward have you? Do not even the publicans the same?

Jesus is pointing out that is is easy to love someone who loves you, but the true virtue is in loving those who do not.

47 And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? Do not even the heathen the same?

Same concept. He points out that even the wicked love those who love them.

THIS is difficult for me! This is why reading the Bible is so critical. I’ve already saved several verses from this reading to my notes document.

6:1 But take heed that you do not your righteousness before men, to be seen by them: other wise you have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens.

This makes me think of all the performative charity we see in the public eye. Jesus condemns that. He says do your charities in secret. Let not the left hand know what the right is doing. God’s reward is INFINITELY more satisfying than Man’s!

I really have to do way better at this, but I have this obsession with teaching others things that I know have helped me. But as I think about this I am really not doing it for fame, recognition or money. I’m only doing it because I know how tough this journey is on all of us and I just want to try and make it as easy as I can on as many people as I can possibly reach.

The recognition I get in response to all of my creative output is only valuable to me in terms of confirming I am reaching people.

22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If thy eye be simple thy whole body shall be full of light;

Jesus is talking about the pineal gland here. The “third eye.”

24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other or he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Mammon.

“Mammon” is an Arabic word meaning “material wealth.”

25 For this reason I say to you: Be not anxious for your life what you shall eat, nor for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the clothing?

26 Look at the birds of heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into granaries; and yet your heavenly Father feeds them: are you not much better than they?

27 But which of you, by being anxious, can add one cubit to his age?

28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, nor do they spin.

29 But I say to you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as one of these.

30 Now if God so clothes the herb of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 Then, be not anxious, saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or with what shall we be clothed?

32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these.

This entire passage is so extremely valuable. How many people waste their lives in constant worry? But hasn’t God always looked out for you? Haven’t you always had food to eat and clothes to wear? You are here now! It is proof it is true!

This is the verse that I started reading this chapter for. Verse 25. One of my biggest flaws, and to be clear this is a sin, is that I worry constantly about the future. When you’re gone through traumatic experiences from the time you were a child, you get conditioned to expect bad things to happen in your life and guess what that does? It manifests bad things into your life. If you want positive things to happen in your life you must think positively and MOST IMPORTANTLY, DO NOT react negatively to things that happen to you.

Yes, this is difficult! It’s human nature to want to react to things, but it’s critically important to train yourself not to react. I’m not there yet! I’m working on it myself. But at least I have a road map. At least I know what areas I need to work on.