How interested are you in the stories of other people? You will find that they love things that hold no appeal for you. Yet it is still beneficial for you to encounter them and learn what gives meaning and purpose to their lives, even if it is different from what motivates you. They have a limited perspective, but then so do you. You can engage with them to understand them without trying to show them they are wrong.

Do you think of your church as my house? Where is the house you would build for me? Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool. It facilitates your assembling together to have a roof over your head, and lights and heat and a place to sit. But I don’t need any of those things. If thinking of your church as my house facilitates a sense of reverence for my presence, then that is a beneficial aspect. But this thinking can work against you if you think a building contains me, or make a strong distinction between the space inside a church and outside.

What is your lesson today? Students go to class expecting to have a lesson prepared for them. This is normal in a structured classroom environment. Do you stop learning when you graduate from school? Even if you are not in a structured academic setting you should still think in terms of constant learning. I sent the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth, and this is an ongoing process. It works better when you know it is happening, and when you are alert and aware. If you aren’t sure you can always ask me what your lesson is for today.

My word tells you not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Does this mean you should avoid all contact with them? There is another passage that says no to that. Christianity does not require isolation; in fact it works better without it. It is easier to think that you are better than you are when you are alone, but contact with others reveals and refines you. A yoke implies a constraint of common purpose. You shouldn’t enter a binding condition like marriage with someone who does not share your ultimate views.