10:1 Throughout his life and continued growth in faith, Paul's compassion for others grew as well. He cared deeply that people would be able to find the philosophy of life which would promote their well-being.
10:2 It's one thing for a person to say they believe in something but unless there is faith and passion and action beneath what they say, it isn't true belief. Fancy customs and long-held traditions do not make something sacred. A person's faith must be sincere and consistent, and when it is, it does not need to be celebrated or displayed elaborately to be real and true.
10:3 Many religions get a lot wrong. Wrapped up in historical traditions and man-made rules, they lose the humble and compassionate substance of God. Churches get bigger and fancier but the core of the message they are supposed to be teaching is humility, charity, empathy... many aspects of many religions have become hypocritical and contradictory to the text they claim to teach and emulate.
10:4 The philosophy that Jesus brought is all-inclusive; combined: philosophy, wisdom, purpose, compassion.
10:5 Our actions on earth either enable or disable us from living beyond earth. When we introduce and sustain God's philosophy in our lives and actions, we doubly live: we come alive here in wisdom and compassion and we come alive spiritually.
10:6-9 Paul implores us to take responsibility for ourselves. We must be active participants in the growth and learning, course and culmination of our own lives.
We should not waste our time worrying about reward or punishment; we should live. Now is our opportunity to be purposeful, to be active, to impact the world. We should not waste that time.
Saved: This word "saved" is not often understood well enough. God's philosophy saves us because it reveals to us our capability, our purpose, our value. He reveals to us that we have an impact on the world if we accept that truth and if we live with that truth. We are saved from purposelessness, from low self-esteem, from being controlled or influenced by others.
10:10-13 We must be consistent. What we say and believe and do must all be in sync. We must be focused, determined, wise. A compassionate heart is known to God. A deceitful heart is known to God. Regardless of external factors and the facades people put up, we are known by our personal truth.
Believing in God or in Jesus is only important if the person believes in what they stand for: kindness, compassion, justice, wisdom. As long as a person believes in those things, they also believe in God (whether they realize it or not). Spirituality is not an exclusive, specific club, there are many places and ways of entry.
10:14 It's important to God that everyone is exposed to spirituality and to kindness if they wish to absorb it. Those who seek will find Him in a variety of ways, through different religious and non-religious contexts and cultures and types of spirituality. God's connection to each person is specifically tailored to their life and their heart.
10:15 Therefore He ensures that spirituality is also able to teach those people who seek it. We have the opportunity to work with God, to let Him work through us... to be His vessel, instrument through which He can reach people, directly and personally in the world.
10:16-17 God's spirit is prevalent in the world but only to the people who are giving attention to it, listening and looking for it, perceptively, earnestly, passionately. Why? Because spirituality is deep with wisdom and only those who are focused and passionate have the mind and spirit resilient enough to listen to its instruction, apply it consistently to their lives and to perceive it in its subtle ways.
10:18 Many people are not listening and God does not force them to. Spiritually wisdom is alive and instructive on the earth but there are people who disregard it or do not acknowledge it at all.
10:19-21 Throughout human history here on earth, God has made Himself available to everyone. Even though His philosophy has been rejected, ignored, opposed, He has offered His compassion and wisdom impartially, abundantly. He has always made Himself available, even though multitudes of people have disregarded Him. He puts His whole heart and effort into reaching humanity, even when humanity does not really deserve it.
