And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell (Matthew 5:29-30).
The soul’s integrity is the one and only thing that matters. And so Jesus insists that positively no sacrifice can be too great to insure the integrity of one’s soul. Anything that stands in the way of that, must be given up.
Whatever is standing between us and our true contact with God—a sin, an old grudge left unforgiven, stark greed for the things of this world—must go. Such things, however, are so obvious that at least the transgressor is aware of them; it is the subtle things like self-love, self-righteousness, and spiritual pride that are most difficult for the self to exorcise.
The subtle traps into which we fall, lock us into a pattern of thinking and behavior that leads us into even greater traps. When we succumb to vanity, pride and ego, our steps take us inexorably to even greater sin. Even worse, we are blinded to our lostness because of self-righteousness, spiritual pride and self-love.
So today, let us turn away from the self and turn toward God and others. When we remove these barriers to joy, our eyes are opened, our places known and our path secure. This is the true path to peace, love and hope. Let us travel that path today.
Seeking the path,
Stan
Author’s note: Today a new gardener joins us in Eden. She has dedicated her life to God and serving others in times of their greatest need. She is truly a pastor and sheds her grace on all she touches. We are blessed with her presence. Welcome to the Garden sister. S.
Good Morning Garden 
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