Veronica Speaks

Daily prompt answered by Veronica Speaks (the imperfect Christian woman herself).

What principles define how you live?

The World is A Reflection of What You Believe

What you believe determines what you see. Consequently, when looking at the world around you, you see that world through the information you learned up until now. In other words, the information you learn becomes your beliefs.

Learned information acquired through your upbringing, education, and societal influences has an impact on how you interpret life around you.

This interpretation shows up in how you interact with other humans.

Who do you believe yourself to be?

In relation to all humanity, who are you? Do you look at a stranger and see someone like yourself? Someone with a life full of ups and downs, disappointments and joys, pain and love?

Do you see someone you’ve never met and realize they deserve love, care, and respect?

Or, do you look at them and see their race, sexuality, political affiliation, and religion/spirituality?

Do you see the surface-level things that distract you from seeing their humanity?

Let me know, I want to know what life looks like through your eyes. Which of your beliefs reflect back to you when you look at humans?

Why it’s important to live a principled life

To clarify, the definition of a principle is a basic idea or rule that explains or controls how something happens or works (Cambridge Dictionary, last accessed October 2023).

When applied to your life, a principle is a belief that explains or controls the actions you take.

If you are not governed by principles, then you run the risk of behaving mindlessly and recklessly damaging yourself and those around you.

Don’t believe the world’s biggest lie

The world’s biggest lie sold, especially in the United States of America, is that we are independent from one another.

Separation is an illusion

To me, the idea that we are separated is the worst social programming we undergo.

I am a Christian woman, so my beliefs are biased toward believing we are all under

one God and make up the body of Christ.

²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female,for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28

I wasn’t always a Christian, I dabbled in other religions and spiritualities before deciding on Jesus to be my home and foundation.

What I learned through the years of being agnostic is that most religions, spiritualities, and philosophies share this golden rule – treat others how you treat yourself.

It is no doubt that we are all human beings.

People can convince themselves that they are a god, a demon, or an alien all they want.

Their self-perception does not take away from scientific facts that as a human species, we require the same foundational resources to keep life inside of our body.

We are One

It blows my mind that we ALL exist on one globe, in one universe, sharing the same air, yet some people believe we are separate.

Additionally, when looking at reality, believing that we are separate is proven false every second of the day.

For example, I live in America and I am physically far away from Ukraine and Israel, but my life is impacted by the dehumanizing wars taking place in a far way physical place. “How so?,” you might ask.

Well just this morning, Monday, October 16, 2023, I received a notification through my Apple News app recalling a six-year-old Palestinian boy being stabbed to death and his mother critically injured by their Islamophobic Landlord. They live about three towns from me.

I have Muslim friends. I have Jewish friends. I have Palestinian friends. While I don’t have Ukrainian or Russian friends that I know of, I am not opposed of making friends with human beings of different races and ethnicities.

I have a deep love for humanity. It breaks my heart to see this ever-present fight for humanity.

With the wars and genocides occurring in the world, it is clear that humans have convinced themselves that other humans with different beliefs are not human like themselves.

It feels frustrating to witness the degradation of any human life.

As a black woman in America, my historical roots are very familiar with dehumanization, so this topic hits home.

Christian or not, I will always look to another human being and see them as worthy of life.

I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for everyone who lives and has ever lived on Mother Earth.

The BEST Principle

Treat others how you want to be treated.

It’s a simple principle.

In practice, it is not a simple principle. For instance, what if you don’t love yourself? What if you don’t treat yourself kindly?

You can only give others what you have within yourself.

This problem is what many people face. It starts with yourself.

How you see others is how you see yourself.

The world you see through your eyes is a reflection of your beliefs.

Check yourself.

Signed, the imperfect Christian woman.

With peace,

Veronica Speaks