One profound journey of change that significantly impacted my core beliefs of religion occurred during an overnight church trip, specifically during an afternoon sermon. This trip made me realize the importance of humility, and altered my views about righteousness. As I sat in the congregation, the pastor began discussing the concept of getting to know God on a deeper level. To illustrate his point, he drew an XY graph, where the X-axis represented our sins and the Y-axis symbolized God.
The pastor explained that as we delve into a deeper understanding of God, we come to recognize that we are unworthy of entering heaven. The pastor then added how then Jesus was the only bridge to cover the two roads. Connecting the XY graphs with a cross. What truly shocked me was when the pastor elaborated on how people often engage in various activities to diminish the significance of Jesus as the bridge between humanity and God. He exemplified this by mentioning acts such as donating to charity, helping the poor, and performing good deeds solely for the purpose of feeling good about oneself. According to him, these actions serve to diminish the importance of Jesus as they persuade themselves that they have earned the right to enter heaven. He labeled this behavior as hypocrisy.
The core message conveyed was not to uplift oneself and seek personal gratification, but rather to maintain a perpetual state of humility, always recognizing that Jesus is the sole pathway to God due to the inherent sinfulness of every human being. This revelation struck me deeply. It challenged my preconceived notion that helping others and being morally just were intrinsically linked. I had previously encountered lectures and scientific studies suggesting that acts of kindness and altruism contribute to one’s own happiness. This sermon, however, prompted me to realize that personal happiness does not necessarily equate to righteousness. It highlighted the essential distinction between the knowledge gained from religious teachings and the knowledge derived from scientific studies.
This transformative experience caused me to reevaluate my ethics, morality, and default spiritual state. I embraced the core essence of humility, recognizing that I am but a flawed individual in need of redemption through the grace of Jesus. It compelled me to prioritize a genuine connection with God and to view my actions through the lens of genuine humility, rather than seeking personal validation from others, or society. This journey of change ultimately deepened my religious convictions and fostered a greater understanding of the intricate relationship between spirituality, personal growth, and the pursuit of true righteousness. I believe humility does not imply weakness (being powerless) but rather serves as a guiding principle for personal growth and societal contribution.
It teaches us to recognize that our abilities and accomplishments are not solely our own, but rather gifts from a higher power. This is why i think it’s important, as humility guards against excessive narcissism and the misuse of our talents. Instead, we cultivate gratitude, accountability, and a sense of responsibility towards God. Religion offers comprehensive teachings that promote maturity, thoughtfulness, and moral character. This encourages us to reflect on our actions, motivations, and impact on others, allowing us to develop genuine and grounded morality. This event made me realize by adhering to these teachings, we can shape our behavior in alignment with virtuous values and principles to make ethical choices, and positively contribute to society while also being humble. Through the cultivation of humility and integration of religious teachings, we strive to become individuals guided by purpose, integrity, and genuine concern for the well-being of others and science just cannot fully explain that.