1. HOW TO LEAD LIFE

If human beings are going to lead their lives well, they have to make a program. You must not live a non-directioned, purposeless life. You might not know it, but today's providence for restoration isn't being realized without a purpose.

The path that I have walked for 40 years until today has been completely intentional and in accordance with a program. Just as building a house requires a plan, I have a blueprint. I cannot myself say, "It is done," even though everything might match exactly with the blueprint. It has to be acknowledged by heaven and earth. (141-180)

There has to be discrimination. Whether a person has lived a good or a bad life will certainly be determined after he or she dies. The decision will be made as to whether the person lived well or not. If a person is seen to have led a good life, it means that the person is good. If not, it means the person is evil.

If this is so, then what should we do in order to be recognized as having lived a life of goodness? What is the standard for a good or bad life? During our lifetime, we do things that determine the quality of our lives. Every person wants to live a good life. Nobody wants to live a bad life.

Often a person is said to live a good life based primarily on external things. Normally, a person who is well-off externally is said to have a good life. If one owns a house, has some money, lives with a spouse and children and seems to have no obstacles to realizing his or her intentions, he or she is said to live a good life. It is generally like this.

However, even though we live our lives hearing how good our circumstances are, when we come to ask ourselves, "Am I really living a true and good life?" not so many of us can say with confidence, "I am living truthfully." Regardless of their sex and age, everybody desires to lead a truthful life. Not so many actually live life truthfully, however.

We live in an environment where it is almost impossible to live sincerely, even though we want to. A large majority of people have a regretful conclusion to their lives and come to lament over the wasted time. This is the way of life today. (43-242)

Today, you, the youth of the Unification Church, say, "We are historic people with historic results." Is it really so? That is a problem. Is it really so? If you ask anybody, "What are you doing?" he will probably answer, "I am living." If you ask, "How have you been living?" the answer will probably be, "I have been living this way." If we ask a large number of individuals, a large majority will probably answer, "I have just eaten and gotten along." The answers for questions like, "How is your life? Are you well off or not?" are given by a great majority of people based on such facts as owning a house or a patch of field or having smooth living conditions.

We are just getting along in our lives. How is the majority of people living today? They are getting along. They are living for the sake of living itself. But life shouldn't be led only in this way. Do you understand? How does a person who has a standard a step higher lead his or her life? Such a person eats sharing the food and lives with deliberation. Some spend their lives only eating and drinking while others spend it with consideration. Do you understand? (151-70)

It is easy for the one who is defeated in life to become a loser in his life of faith. In life's circumstances, God and Satan are conducting a battle to control me. (183-198)

Where is Satan separated from God? It is not done in the spiritual world. Where is it done? In life on earth. Within myself, in my conscience and my physical mind. The internal aspect within us, the conscience, represents God's side and the physical mind represents Satan's side.

When you put your hands against each other, their shape is alike. But one of them is the left side and the other one is the right side. When we look at it this way, the same seems different. Therefore, we have to distinguish the right side from the left side and know clearly which one goes first and which one follows. (24-215)

Recently, I have seen that the Principle goes its way while you act in your way and the church operates in its way. I have felt it is like this. If you have learned the Principle, you should be standing on it accordingly, but you and the church are not standing on the Principle. You are apart from it. You will get into trouble that way. There is a saying, "An hour may destroy what took an age to build." If we continue to live in that way, everything will end in failure. (109-308)