How Should We Value the Sanctity of Life?

In such a time as these, the sanctity of life is evidently highlighted. However, this idea actually confronts the issues of abortion, abuse, assisted suicide, human trafficking, and death penalty among many, not just EJK—Extra Judicial Killings.

Many people react to EJK in the Philippines right now. It led to lots of controversies, criticisms, and debates. To this, even the majority of the Christian leaders are divided, arguing about the sanctity of life or human rights.

While many struggled to respond to such issues, my challenge for most Christians is to go for the basics. How?

1. Develop a Judeo-Christian View of Life.

The prevailing idea of the sanctity of life is founded on the concept of creation in the Judeo-Christian Bible. This belief holds that human life has the following:

• Special. God created humans in His own image.
• Spiritual Beings. It also assumes that humans have souls, spirits, and reasoning abilities, unlike any other species. As such, humans share in the nature of God. For that reason, the human life is valuable than any other life forms, such as animals and plants.
• Sacred. The view also stands that even though humans are not gods, every human life is still sacred. The idea of sanctity means something is holy.
• Set Apart. To consider something as sanctified also means human life is set for a sacred purpose and must be protected.

The point is: the sanctity of life means nothing without the idea of God as holy. It cannot be separated.

But where did we get that idea of holiness apart from the concept of God as holy?

The sad fact is, even dogmatic religions have also committed atrocities like inquisitions and holy wars, nearly forfeiting their moral ascendancy to address such issues on the sanctity of life.

Ironically, the God-less ideologies, like communism and secularism, do not value human life that much.

While atheism and secularism bred the genocide of millions of unborn babies in the West and carnage of millions of people in human history, it is still the historical Christianity’s highest duty to promote and respect the sanctity of life.

2. Do Justice to All.

The respect for all human life as sacred demands there must be justice for all. This assumes that someone is a perpetrator and there is a victim. But a due process is still absolutely needed before executing punishment.

Nonetheless, justice seems elusive. The economic challenges where rich people can hire best lawyers to get away from the justice system are a fact. That’s why many lawmakers are concerned that the imperfect system is disadvantageous in imposing the death penalty. Of this lawmakers debate vigorously.

Yet, there are those nations and states that have a death penalty. Are they perfect? Was it enough to implement justice?

Both those who agree and disagree have only one desire: that it to protect human life and provide justice for all.

3. Defend Everyone’s Rights of Life.

In view of the sanctity of life, when a person puts other lives at stake, does that criminal loses the right to be treated as sacred, especially when they intend to seriously harm or kill other people?

When the rights of the law-abiding citizens are placed against the “criminal” elements, which right is more valuable?

But, if it is a choice of someone to destroy another man’s life, is it justifiable to protect the life of the other? What if it is only an impending threat?

It also pains to see when criminals seem to have more rights than enforcers of the law.

It is every Christian’s prayer to live peaceable and secure lives. As God’s special creation, it assumes that there is equity. All have the rights to live.

As such we need to take a close look at every opportunity to bring the good news of Christ to everyone. We can also reconsider the restorative justice and see where we can be of help, like being redemptive to “surrenderers.”

The very argument on the sanctity of life is also the strong argument of the ultimate accountability that “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.”

It’s not new, therefore, why death penalty existed in the Bible. In fact, many ancient kingdoms and modern states have death penalty with the sole purpose of protecting people’s lives.

Many Christians believe that God loves all humanity and has a plan for every person. If love is the highest rule against the death penalty, how about the love for the innocent, weak, and defenseless?

But whether there is death penalty or not, God’s love never changes and His desire is for the redemption of every soul. For Him, the sanctity of life remains.

Glenn Plastina © 2017

How To Bless Your City or Community in Little Ways?

I’m a city-dweller, although I like nature so much.

My fascination with people, landscape, and culture was developed more when I resided at Baguio City, the Summer Capital of the Philippines. It’s where the challenges of city life meet the beauty of nature.

However, have you observed that when you live in a populated place, you feel like you’re too small to make a difference?

I understand because I felt that way before. But I also noticed that when I embraced that kind of mindset, it didn’t help my attitude.

So I decided to make a little change. I want to make some tiny steps to help my city—and I hope, you’ll also consider these too in your own situation wherever you are.

1. Don’t Underestimate the Small Beginnings.

When I realized that if I make a commitment to grow at least 1% a day I could get 365% growth at the end of the year, it motivated me to change.

It’s like reading one page a day and finishing a full volume book in a year—at least one is better than nothing. How much more if I’ll read a chapter a day, how many books would I benefit from in a year?

As a book reader myself, I know what I’m accomplishing: small steps lead to greater accomplishments.

2. Define Your Little Steps.

As I realize that there’s no harm in making small but positive steps for growth, I decided to identify them.

Here are my ten (10) little ways to help my city.

• Dispose of your garbage properly.
• Be considerate to women and elderly in riding a jeepney.
• Obey traffic rules, even when no one is watching.
• Respect everyone with a smile.
• Take care of public properties as you would for yourself.
• Ask for receipts for every purchase.
• Don’t be late in your every appointment.
• Pay your community tax certificate.
• Pray for your community leaders and bless them.
• Pay it forward till everyone does things in their own little ways.

Why? It’s because you too can do it. You can make a similar list to remind yourself if you wish.

3. Do Those Little Steps.

Now that I have my little ways, I make ways to accomplish them as I can. Every time I observed to do I know I’m improving.Have you observed what happens to

Have you observed what happens to yourself when you do something good? How does it feel?

Now, some of your big ways could be small for others, while what’s small for you could be big for others. It does not matter. Making a small step to argue less could be a great deal.

You may not be able to do all of them, but at least you’ve done something.

If we’ll do these tiny ways and count them together, we could make a giant leap towards a better place to live.

If together we share, everyone could take part in making a culture of care.

Glenn Plastina © 2017

 

Why Should You Have Inner Change?

You’ve heard the cry, “change is now.” Today, change is going on. With all these massive hopes and dreams for change, the question is: are you willing to change yourself?

Change is the only thing in this world you can’t change. However, there’s a big difference between a natural process of change and intentional transformation.

The natural change would just direct to decay, deterioration, and demise. But intentional transformation leads to something good, better, and best. That’s a great future.

If you want something better, here are some major steps to take a reasonable change.

1. Begin From Within.

Ordering your inner world is harder than organizing your external life. Changing the outside form without internal cleansing will only lead to a cosmetic and shallow change. It will only work for a moment but it won’t last.

As such, all change becomes effective if it starts from the inside. If dysfunctional governments and corporate entities want to make lasting change, internal detox is needed to regain its health. Or else, change will only bring hemorrhage.

On a personal level, how about you? If you so desire to see change, are you willing to change your attitude and opinions in a positive way?

Are you willing to make a change from within to effectively transform yourself into someone better?

St Paul is right. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” All meaningful change must begin from your mindset, heart, and spirit. Those are something from within.

2. Bridge From One Place To Another.

If you’re not satisfied with what’s going on in your life now, what do you really want and where do you want to be?

Moving from point A (where you are now) to point B (your destiny) demands strategy and plan. But building that bridge would require a different mindset, attitude, and spirit. You can’t solve a future problem using the same mind that created it first.

Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to be.” For you to change, you have to give up something you won’t need–your old life, mentality, and habits. Or else, when you reach that destiny, you’ll only revert to your old state and live the same.

For you to change, you have to give up something you won’t need–your old life, mentality, and habits. Or else, when you reach that destiny, you’ll only revert to your old state and live the same.

3. Believe to Act Accordingly.

Visionary leaders need faith. The bigger the vision, the bigger the faith demanded. The bigger the faith needed, the more massive action is required. The same principle on a personal scale.

True change needs power. The massive movement of anything requires more power. If you want a genuine change of the heart and spirit, you need more than self-help. You need spiritual power.

In fact, a nation that desires to change without spiritual help will only perpetuate more darkness. As such, acts of violence, manipulation, misinformation, and misuse of wealth are used to implement change.

In the end, the change is just a form of exchange. There is no genuine transformation. Just a change of leadership but of the same substance of power-play and corruption.

Making a difference is not easy. Imagine a sick person trying to recover. Many could not even take the discipline to regularly take their medicine–until it’s too late.

The heart of genuine transformation is the transformation of the heart. However, the heart is really deceptive. Good intentions are easily spoiled because of it. As such, all well-meaning change could lead to another problem.

As the PNP Chief admits the importance of “connection with God” to the desired change, it’s getting clearer. The key is a change of heart, not just a change of mind. This is more than making a different opinion or attitude.

From a Christian view, the only cure for the problem of the heart is the cross of Christ. Don’t misunderstand this. This is not about religion. (Have you noticed that the most religious nations are the very ones that need change?)

Genuine change, be it on a massive or personal scale, need the higher power of God because only God can change the heart of a person, even the heart of the nation which is the marketplace.

Therefore, for me, Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is on the right point.

What you and our nation need is a genuine relationship with God, not too much “religiosity” that breeds self-righteousness.

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017

Why Must You Reconsider Your Concept of Retirement?

Today, I have just witnessed our school president retired. In the Philippines, at the age of 60 or 65, retirement is a must. My mother retired last year as a school teacher. She’s 65. Ironically, I “retired” as a school foundation CEO at the age of 39.

Since then, I have no plan of coming back for any administrative work–perhaps maybe, only as a board member or consultant. That is if the school remains to be an institution with integrity and upholds its Christian vision, mission, and ministry.

As I see it, forty is my peak season. “Life begins at forty” so they say. Is it possible that life begins after “retirement”? How?

1. Reconsider Your Idea of Retirement.

The concept of retirement is about leaving a job or ceasing from work. For someone who hates his or her job, it’s a release. But for those who love what they’re doing, it’s a struggle.

There’s a problem. People who are passionate at what they do do not like the idea of retirement. In fact, there is an evident feeling of being forced to stop doing what you love the most.

The truth is, retirement is a by-product of an employee mindset. For me, it is a government or corporate idea to be enforced on a certain group of people to relinquish them from their positions. It’s a stereotype.

From a Christian point of view, it is not even considered biblical. The last time I check, I didn’t find the word “retirement” in my Bible. This does not mean it is wrong to be retired. But I don’t see myself retiring from my calling. Do you?

2. Refuse to Be Negatively Branded as Retiree. 

When people think of retirees, what comes to mind?

Now that’s where it feels uncomfortable. They’re relegated as old, grumpy, weak, almost like second class citizens. Or worse, they’re perceived as SAD–sick, aging, and dying. You’re finished.

Most take pride in their pensions and privileges. But if the lack of wisdom to manage money prevails, the lump sum would just instantly be gone. The monthly allowance is not enough for a comfortable rest and dream leisure.

However, it is in your power to refuse to be socially tattooed as old men and women with money–a thing you can’t even carry to eternity. That’s not who or what you are.

3. Re-Tire.

When I retired at the age of 39, it’s my gateway to change my tire. That’s why I call it “re-tire.” Life is a journey and it’s not all about job. I retire from a job, not my spiritual calling.

You can start a new chapter where you maximize your potentials and never feel useless.

Since retirement is a man-made invention to hedge a limitation, change your attitude. Instead of thinking to cease and desist, increase and persist.

There’s one thing those inept employees who just constantly look for promotion lack that “retirees” have. It’s experience. The accumulated wisdom and experiential learning are just vast resources too precious to be wasted.

As a matter of fact, business people are richer in their older years. They’re even more influential and powerful, more productive and successful. They serve as consultants, trainers, mentors, and more.

The options are infinite. But retirement?

So the next time you’re thinking or at the verge of retiring, think again. (I’m doing it right now as I write this article while riding on a bus going home.)

Still, I see. You’ve got greater opportunities that most people just took for granted. Change your tires!

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017

How to Bless Our Cops?

I’m a strong supporter of cops. I have a sister, Amor, who is a police officer right now and some relatives who serve the uniform service. In fact, when I was a boy, I fancy myself as a police.

While my wife and I were avid watchers of 24, our kids infectiously liked Ang Probinsyano. It’s good to guide our children regarding the values, lessons, and life journey of Cardo as the cop-hero.

While it is evident that there are noble cops, what is often portrayed in media is that cops are bad. Parents even use the police in instilling fear to their children. That disturbs me.

The very people in authority to serve and protect us, we fail to serve and protect.

Here are some ways you may be able to do to bless our cops.

1. Speak Well of Them.

You cannot bless if you bad-mouth our cops. To bless is to invoke blessings from God. As such, when you speak well and habitually pray for the cops and their families, you’ll have a change of heart.

Cops are humans too. Don’t believe that all cops are bad. It’s a lie, a fallacy of generalization. Refuse to be a tale-bearer, but be a “blesser.”

Don’t believe everything you hear about them (if you don’t want them to believe everything they hear about you). Find those model and outstanding officers. Invite them to your community programs or schools and learn from them.

Find those model and outstanding officers. Invite them to your community programs or schools and learn from them.

 2. Support Community Programs of Cops for the Community.

The problem with most citizens is that we don’t bother to visit the police stations until we are in trouble. Yet, when people are in trouble, they don’t call criminals for help.

If you partner with the cops in their community services, we’ll have a better society. Get involved. Instead of becoming a critic, be cooperative.

Serve those who serve and protect those who protect. Adopt a station and help in your own special ways. Be a volunteer.

The Holy Scripture says, “Remind them [Christians] to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.”

3. Stick to Each Other.

If you think you can call on bad elements for long-lasting security, you are wrong. The only protector you’ll have when worse comes to worse are the God-instituted authorities.

In a civilized society and for law-abiding citizens, your cops are your friendly neighbor. “But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he [the police] does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”

As one spiritual leader says, “Christ first knocked on your heart’s door. Since you refused it, the police also knocked next at your door.

The protection of our people is best achieved through partnerships. These dynamics are between citizens, cops, churches, corporations, communities, cities, and country. Those practicing Christians in the midst of these entities can truly make a difference

If you’re a spiritual leader or pastor, join Bless Our Cops. If you’re a police officer find an MBK–My Brother’s Keeper. Those practicing Christians in the midst of these entities who are committed to the Gospel, they can truly make a difference as agents of change.

How about you? Do you have creative ways to be a blessing to our cops?

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017

How to Make New–and More–Friends?

I love making new friends. As long as you have the time to be out there reaching out to someone, you can make friends. And I have great friends all these years.

Making friends is more than getting to know someone’s name or phone number.Here are my three little secrets in making more friends that you can do too–even more!

Here are my three little secrets in making more friends that you can do too–even more!

1. Smile.

You can make friends everywhere, be it in a hospital, church, club, volunteer group, sports team or in bus, plane, bank, cafe, and the like.

You can make friends everywhere, be it in a hospital, church, club, volunteer group, sports team or in bus, plane, bank, cafe, and the like. Now I’m not talking about

Now I’m not talking about some nervous smile or that wide commercialized grin at a fast-food chain, but in making new friends you need a genuine one. Be warm and pleasant.

Make eye contact, be mindful of your body language for they speak before you talk.

2. Start Small To Share.

Overcome your fear by making a small step. This is not public speaking, but you can’t make friends without talking.

Break the ice. Say “hello” or “good morning” and the like. If the person responds, you’ll know by the tone of their voice, facial expressions, and body language if they’re interested in interacting with you.

If you sense that the person is not interested, don’t be pushy or rude.

Compliment something positive about them or comment on something interesting that the two of you might share. Don’t flatter but show genuine interest and appreciation.

Ask simple and questions answerable by “yes.” As you progress, share something about yourself and listen more as they share about themselves, their family, and work.

Sharing must be mutual. It’s about both of you. Be truthful and trustworthy. Any signs of inconsistencies in your words creates distrust. Make a healthy level of trust, but don’t be naive.

3. Show Them You Care.

Making friends is more effective if you show that you genuinely care about them, their ideas, and interests. You’ve got to respect their unique qualities.

Affirm what’s good and in matters where you have opposite ideas, instead of saying, “you’re wrong,” say, “that’s interesting, can you tell me more about that?” On this, don’t be judgmental, argumentative or critical.

In fact, if you practice the discipline of listening with love and understanding, you’ll win more friends. You don’t have to be an expert on everything in loving listening.

Be an encouragement as you connect with genuine interest. If it’s in your power to help, do so.

For me, helping others solve their problems is one way of making lasting friends. Being there when they need you the most demands an investment of time, resources, and effort. But it’s worth in building closer friends.

As the Hebrew proverb says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

After any given time you started well, decide if the friendship is simply a casual hi-bye or it will blossom into mutual one or, better, a close friendship. Keep in touch.

If you master the art of making friends, here’s a promise. The “one who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.” Will you be the one?

After all has been said and done, the secret of making friends is you being friendly.

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017

How to Deal With Misunderstanding?

You texted or said something and it blew out of proportion. Then you find yourself in a hot seat or a heated argument for a slight misunderstanding.

How many times you’ve been through this? Do you still remember the feeling? How did you deal with it?

Misunderstanding is like a viper just waiting to strike you when you’re unaware.

Here are some ways you can do when misunderstood.

1. Clarify.

A person could say one thing but mean something. You may have it right in your intention and meaning, you may have used the right word, but something just went wrong. The recipient couldn’t just interpret it right.

If you hear or see something wrong in the way the listener react to your statement, make some clarification. That’s why speakers sometimes say, “Don’t misunderstand me.” Then they make some clarification on what might be the wrong interpretation of what they have to say.

You may explain the meaning or use an illustration to point out what you really mean. At best, you may ask the particular question to get a specific answer if they get want you mean.

2. Correct.

Misunderstanding is a failure to correctly interpret one’s word or action. You may be using the same word, but the meaning differs to the hearer or observer. Your well-meaning words could be taken out of context.

Don’t be defensive immediately. What you have in mind might have been interpreted wrongly. Your message is right but the method may be wrong. There are many possibilities why your words or action to be misinterpreted.

If you think what you really meant was lost in interpretation, make a correction. Find out where it went wrong. Straighten the facts.

3. Communicate Properly.

In all these years of interacting with other people, I have confirmed that failure to communicate leads to failure to interpret. It means most misunderstanding is caused by miscommunication.

Nobody wants to miscommunicate unless it is intentional to deceive or trick someone. Likewise, if the hearer intends to misinterpret you just to provoke or make you appear bad, that’s beyond your control.

Failure to understand correctly is very possible especially if the person listening does not really want to understand you. As Proverbs said, “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.”

But even then, when the hearer refuses to accept your true meaning, still, you have to communicate properly.

The fact remains that when you communicate to be understood, you have to use the right words for the right meaning.

Your context must be clear and your explanation must be sufficient to convey the exact message.

By the time you’ve started to communicate well, you will see how people respond to your message and catch the meaning of your words and actions. Speak clearly and don’t obscure the meaning if you want to be understood.

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017

How to Bless Our Nation?

Are you often stressed by the prime time news? I used to be.

Truth to be told, do you feel helpless when you see the mainstream news or the state of the nation? Do you feel small and can’t do anything about this country you love–and make it great again?

Before, every time I watched the mainstream news, I was mentally and emotionally strained. I’m not sure if I’m being socially engineered and conditioned by sensationalizing headlines, but the fact most of the news are more negative, it’s a bad way to end my day.

Here’s how I got a change of heart. You may consider these action steps too.

1. Pray for the Government.

From the biblical perspective, the government is “God’s servant,” regardless of what the news or many critical pastors or priests believe. In fact, it’s a divine command to pray for government authorities.

In St. Paul’s time, the emperors were tyrants. They even persecuted Christians to death. And yet, this Christian theologian urged the followers of Jesus to pray for the authorities.

Quite ironic. Is it possible that those critics of the government were, first and foremost, disobedient failures in praying for government leaders?

It is a Christian duty to pray for government authorities, regardless of who they are. You may not agree with everything they do, but it is still our responsibility to obey God and pray for them first.

And so a made I commitment to pray first before I complain. Surprisingly, the more you pray, you’ll find yourself never complaining.

2. Pronounce Blessings To All Our Leaders.

To bless it to invoke divine favor upon someone. It is the opposite of cursing.

Have you observed that the persons who often criticize use negative words and actions, and that they have the tendency to curse anyone?

Let’s be honest. When someone makes a complaint and does not go directly to the concerned person or authority, did it helped?

How many critics were really good problem solvers? If most complainers are not problem solvers, are they part of the problem?

There’s a strategy that if you want to transform anything, find the “man of peace” or the leader and bless them. Let God move first in their lives.

Remember, the government authorities are God’s Servants. If you keep on criticizing leaders, don’t expect them to perform well.

3. Partner With Our Guardians of Freedom.

I always believe that the government armed forces are our first and last guardians of freedom. Here in the Philippines, I love our cops and soldiers.

And why should I choose otherwise?

Sometimes I entertain the thought of putting critics and complainers at the very places controlled by terrorists, drug lords, and other radical ideologies camouflaged as religion. What do you think would happen to these critics?

It disturbs me the most to see criminals having more rights than the protector of our personal rights, including the rights of the law abiding citizens.

Instead of persecuting the guardians of our freedom, I would rather take part in upholding them in prayers, blessing them, and finding practical ways to bless these men and women in uniform.

This year, when my eldest son celebrated his 13th year, he chose to go to the camp where I served in mentoring and motivating leaders.

Out from his budget, my son gave doughnuts to police trainees, rather than have a party at our house. It’s a small, simple gesture but it blessed my heart when he also caught the hope of sharing blessings (and not speak badly) to our future influencers.

If words have power, how much more our prayers? And how about our actions?

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017

How to Have a Meaningful Travel?

I love traveling. So far, my meaningful trips were going to Israel, Jordan, Egypt, as well as the USA, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Macao, HK, etc. I even have that dream to travel the whole world with my family, not just half of it!

But it all started when I decided not to be a stranger in my beloved country, the Philippines. From my beautiful home province of Bukidnon to settling in Baguio, as well as a one-year stay at the paradise island of Batanes, touring Palawan, and more, that sense of wonder never faded.

There are more and beautiful destinies to experience, so I also follow the posts of other travelers.

My recent travels gave me opportunities to reflect regarding life. Here are three major things that you could consider also.

1. Start Where You Are Now.

I know where my home is. It’s where my family lives together. Above all, it’s a place where I see the best in me, living in the presence of my Master.

Where you are coming from provides the big context of the life you have. And knowing where you are is as important as knowing where to go.

If you at your present, you should ask. Is this the life you wanted? Are you settling for more or less?

Or you want to explore the best of what life could offer and fulfill your mission.

2. See Where You’re Going.

It’s anyone’s choice to become an aimless wanderer. So far, so many have resigned to fate rather than having faith to see or create their future.

If you decide to get out from being stuck, move some place where you want to be. Don’t be a sitting duck. Envision you destiny.

Traveling with a destiny creates eager anticipation that you’ll most likely arrive there. Nobody wants to take a bus and just end up somewhere they’re not supposed to be there.

3. Set When to Get There and How.

It does not matter where you want to be if you’ll not take the ride to be there. It’s just like watching a tourist view of the land on a television without being there at all.

When you travel, you consider the time when will you arrive. It’s either you want it slow, fast, or super fast. That’s the time you decide to take the right vehicle to your preferred destination, either to take the tricycle, a car, bus or plane.

The same principle in life. You can’t reach your destiny faster than you should if you’re taking the slow car at all.

Don’t expect to reach your dream in your lifetime if you’re taking a vehicle that could only bring you there after two lifetimes.

What I love about traveling is enjoying the trip itself, not just the destination. Just watching the people and places along the way makes me realize the intricate beauties and diversities of life.

But you know what? At the very end of the road, regardless of how many souvenirs we got, we carry nothing except memories at the ultimate destiny of all the journeys in life.

So, what’s next? And where?

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017

How To Overcome Deception?

You were given an impression that everything is true, then you found out later everything was a lie. You’re simply just another fall guy.

Both the words and actions were carefully weaved into a trap to make you fall once you’re on top. That craft of deceiving someone caused you so much pain, because you are the victim.

How will you transform yourself from a victim into a victor? Let me share what I did that might help you.

1. Stand On What Is Right. 

You need to understand that deception is premeditated and intentional. That seemingly mistaken impression is actually a pre-planned deception.

A wise king once said, “The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.”

However, never compromise your conscience. It might be painful, but it’s only passing. Trust me, time can heal.

So instead of swimming yourself in the mud of those lying lips, get out from that feeling of being ensnared. You can’t afford to waste your life on anything that’s wrong from the start.

There is no easy way to say this, but it is better to be deceived than to be the deceiver. Cheats don’t last. Soon they’ll be exposed.

2. Stay Truthful. 

The hardest part of deception is not on deceiving anyone else but on deceiving oneself as if everything you did is true, yet in fact, it’s a lie. Indeed, “the heart is deceitful above all things.”

When someone causes you to believe in a lie as something to be true, the truth of the matter is still on your side. So stick to the truth.

This is not easy. Neither for David who prayed, “Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.”

Once you were cheated by someone, the feeling is no longer what matters most, but the truth.

The fact that you’re aware of spoken lies means God is giving you the wisdom to learn about the power of truth. Lies can’t bury it. In the end, he who stays in the truth stands.

3. Succeed With Integrity.

Being caught in a snare you weren’t aware of is just part of your growth, even if it’s just a game for those who planned it.

Usually the hidden purpose of deception is to gain personal advantage from somebody’s trust or to profit from someone’s services, expertise, and efforts. As such, deception is a deliberate act of lying to gain something at the expense of the one being deceived.

However, you may have thought that you lost something when you were deceived and felt unaware. But you can actually gain something from it. Your loss can be your gain.

Your sad experiences from any forms of deception made against you can be an enriching moment for your future success. As long as your integrity is intact, eventually, it’s not your loss, but to the one who deceived you.

As for you, let not deception be you path. As St. Paul said, “Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God.” It’s because deception is unbecoming of anyone who profess to know or serve God.

Glenn Plastina (c) 2017