Reflections on commandments

Reflections on commandments:

Where to rest your head on Earth; on your arm?
Where to place your feet on Earth; on the stone?
Where to place your fin on Earth; in the water?
Where to place your wing on Earth; in the air?

Position and movement of your body and your behaviour on Earth has impact on individuals and species. Even if you are an (in)visible spirit and move upon the face of the waters. And if your presence is sensed by another, you have impact.

Looking into Exodus 20, it speaks of mercy and holiness, labour and rest. Repeatedly it says: thou shallt not or you shall not. And it speaks of jealousy and hatred, vanity and selfglorification, misuse of name and glorification, murder and lie, greediness and theft. In this way you know what life not is.

What is life? What should life be? To me: fulfilments of virtues; good state, good gifts, good thoughts, wise words,
I give it a positive turn:

In stead of jealousy: trust and compersion ("I am happy, when all are happy").
In stead of hatred: love.
In stead of vanity: humbleness.
In stead of selfglorification: modesty.
In stead of misuse of name: use of name.
In stead of glorification: no, not vilification, but acknowledgement.
In stead of murder: live.
In stead of lie: truth (the virtue).
In stead of greediness: charity.
In stead of theft: gift; a good gift as the virtue: mercy.

Better is to use words that wise us all to life; to fulfilments of virtues. Now, in stead of the use of thou shallt not/you shall not, the words: thou shallt/you shall are used.

The commandments are thus:

• Thou shallt live.
• You shall live.

• Thou shallt bear true witness.
• You shall bear true witness.

•  Thou shallt use thoughtfully a name.
• You shall use thoughtfully a name.

• Thou shallt love.
• You shall love.

• Thou shallt be modest.
• You shall be modest.

• Thou shallt trust.
• You shall trust.

• Thou shallt be humble.
• You shall be humble.

• Thou shallt be mercy.
• You shall be mercy.

• Thou shallt be charity.
• You shall be charity.

• Thou shallt thank.
• You shall thank.

Be wise on yourself and on your neighbour, thus serve and honor virtues.

Remember sabbath in good gifts and good deeds; far better than a lot of rules.
Be of good will; true and upright, for a parent and a child seek goodness.
Be holy, for you are the living temple and offer your virtues and wise righteousness.

Wise righteousness promotes fulfilments of virtues. A place will be prepared.

Amen.


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