NEUOFFENBARUNG← Gifts of Heaven · Volume 1 · Contents
Proverbs and aphorisms
5th March 1841, afternoon.
[1] So write then some sayings and proverbs. Each one should carry them with him – that is, in his heart, for on paper they are, like all such things, fruitless, dead, and devoid of blessing. See the effect of the amulets and other similar insignia; what good are they without the faith of either the donor or the recipient? Nothing! But I say, if faith goes hand in hand with love in a living way, why then those means of dead superstition? I ask: Can anyone or anything besides Me help? Then why the amulets and scapulars? Therefore, when I now give you and all of you aphorisms and proverbs from above out of Me, you are to embrace these onto life and therefore carry them with you in your heart, but not hung up or sewn into a skirt or in a pocket or on a string. And so write the aphorisms and proverbs in My name, Amen.
[2] This apparent earthly life, oh brother, is not yours; but a great being dwells in the appearance, – therefore do not trust the appearance, but use this earthly torch's dull flickering, that you may find the true Being in you.
[3] Do not look for that which would be worse or better on the confused life dimly lit path, but think: Only one thing is good and true – and that is I and My love; everything else is vain, bad and false.
[4] A church is only a church when it teaches My will and preaches life out of love that bled on the cross for the whole earth, indeed for the whole creation. But a church that only blesses itself and curses everything else is a miser who desires death for everyone, so that he then wants to get hold of all possessions. But a camel is more likely to go through the eye of a needle, than such a one into heaven.
[5] Do whatever you do in My name, and let My love be the mainspring of your members, and in firm trust you will succeed in every one of your works; but fornication of all kinds and whoredom, by these let My name never be profaned.
[6] You buy too many cubits of stuff to decorate your fleshly graves, and you regard twenty thalers much less than so many kreutzer only to give to My poor brothers. But I say: Do these things in reverse, and you will adorn your lives.
[7] He who praises poets, artists, comedians, and makes eulogies to vain earthly caricatures, victors, commanders, and all kinds of rioters, what a great fool is he. He covers the dirt with all kinds of vain witnesses and thus honors the bride's stinking filth; but if he hears her voice only from afar, he flees like a madman! Beware of following in his footsteps! – and when you make eulogies, make them to Me, the great Artist of life and the Commander of infinity – and an imperishable glory will be your share eternally.
[8] But he who praises the dancers and the jugglers, truly he is a prince of murderers, fornicators and suicides. There, where the eternal whirl of the great sea of fire roars down with howls of thunder into the eternal depths of the death of wrath, I will soon send such singers on new journeys of discovering art, for he who praises sin is worse than a thousand offenders. But you beware of even excusing them.
[9] When you look at a tree as it is full of flowers in spring, you say: If all this were to come to maturity, the tree would never bear such a burden! And so it is with all the good intentions of the world, from which only a few come to maturity, and the ripe ones themselves are only wild berries! But when you want to save your blossom at the tree of your life then you have to water it diligently with the water of My love.
[10] When you look at distant things, a blue mountain shows itself to you as a flat wall, but when you get close, the flat wall turns into vast lands. So it is also with spiritual things: where your eye sees one, I tell you, there are trillions.
[11] It follows the night the morning – noon this – evening both – and the night of all three, because it is as long as morning, noon, evening. But when you are in the morning of your life, oh then do not ask about noon, evening and night; for only in the morning does life come and, defeated, includes the other three. Beware that you do not become similar to the time of the world!
[12] In every plant there is also another seed, and in a thousand kinds of trees, so many different fruits ripen. Do you well know the benefit of all? Certainly not. Oh behold, the life of the spirit is therefore also found in people who are of good will – the kind and species, even if they are different, make no difference; the question is, how useful they all are. Therefore you shall condemn no-one, but instead get to know My ways.
[13] Be frugal in the house, but outside of it, full of generosity, so your threshold will be spared from dirty beggars.
[14] Make your house a shelter for the sick, and the doctor will go in and out with you.
[15] When you wash yourselves, wash first your hands before you wash your face, so that it will not be soiled and your washing will be useless.
[16] If you pray, pray not after the cubit or after the hour, but in the heart full of love spiritually and truly.
[17] Teach the children to obey blindly, and you have led them to the right path; but only do not forget the root of obedience, which is My love.
[18] Where you see little sparks, there you shall make alarm, so the flame will never reach the roof.
[19] Do not consider small things insignificant; a spark has often already destroyed large cities.
[20] If children laugh, you shall weep; if they cry, you have reason to rejoice.
[21] In joking, pain lies buried, as in this serene joy.
[22] It is better to suffer hunger than to perish with a full belly. Amen, Amen, Amen.