“Perils and misfortunes, struggle, disappointment and pain are more or less the certain lot of every man. Therefore, it is meet that every man be fortified with courage and fortitude, that he may bear with appropriate resolution his allotted share of the burden of mankind.

“ As the ass plods along, laboring under its burden and suffering heat and thirst through the dangers of the burning sands of the wilderness, and falters not, so must the courage and fortitude of man sustain

him through the dangers of life, which beset his way.

“The timid man listens to the cry of his body; his limbs tremble, and his stomach turns to water. His littleness of heart has no place for courage and audacity.

“The courageous man is one of God’s men. He listens to his heart; his face is bold and his blow sure. His fierce countenance and audacious plans overwhelm his adversary. His opponent passes into his

possession; his wife walks abroad with confidence and sleeps soundly.

“The courageous man is never the slave of change and chance. His pleasures and contentment do not depend on the whims of fickle fortune; her smiles and frowns alike leave him unmoved, for he is alert and prepared to take on whatever comes his way.”

-The Kolbrin Bible(MPR:21:1-5)

Perils and Misfortunes

Perils, misfortunes, pain and disease, hunger, and death are all part of life in the physical world, and even the most spiritual people can’t avoid them. Being spiritual can help to some degree, but none of us can avoid the misfortunes entirely. There are techniques we can use to get the Light of the Sun to help us heal when we are injured or sick, but we do get injured and sick.

Fortified with Courage

Just like others, we spiritual people do need to be fortified with courage so we can deal with those perils and misfortunes of life. In addition, we need courage and fortitude to help us deal with the attacks we face from the forces and beings of Darkness. That is one reason why it is good to belong to a spiritual community rather than being on our own. When we have weak moments when our courage fails us, the other members of the community can help keep us on the right path.

The Timid and the Courageous

It is true that the timid or weak person will easily give in to the demands of the physical body. They will baby themselves when sick, avoid working when tired, etc. As the quote says, even the ass plods along under a heavy load, even in the hot sand. While that may be an exaggeration, it makes the point that only the give easily give up in the face of adversity. The courageous person does not give in readily, and those are the people God wants to be His Chosen. Being Chosen doesn’t mean you get to cruise through this life and the afterlife. The Chosen need to work hard to help bring about the changes God wants in the world and the entire universe of matter. What’s more, is that great prophets have said that before we get to the Golden Age of Light on earth, we must go through a period of great darkness. It is somewhat like having to turn over rocks to reveal the slimy creatures dwelling under them so that the Light of the Sun can burn them up. That doesn’t mean that great numbers of people must die. It means that they will gradually have the evil “burned” out of them by the sun, until they awaken to their true Self. But during the time of Darkness, there will be some who die, that cannot be avoided. That is another misfortune we spiritual people will have to deal with.

“The wise man is less presumptuous than the fool. He has many doubts and changes his mind, for as wisdom grows, knowledge alters.

“The fool fixes his mind in obstinacy; he is stubborn, and doubt does not disturb his placidity. He knows all things, except his own ignorance. The wise man is aware of his imperfections and continually strives for improvement. The fool forever counts his own small talents and is content. He boasts of his achievements in things which are of no account.

“Thistledown floats on water for all to see, but a gemstone sinks below the surface. So does the fool shout his abilities to the wind, while a wise man keeps them hidden within himself. The goose brings forth its egg while at rest, and the tail of the peacock is displayed while it stands still. The deep, still pool holds the biggest fish, and the resting cow gives the most milk. So it is with the quiet man, who within himself, produces a fountain of strength at which lesser men drink and find refreshment and courage.

“The heart of a fool flutters at a vain hope, but the wise man puts it behind him. Fools snap at one another, but wise men agree in peace.

“Let reason rule all your desires, and let not your hopes reach out beyond the limits of probability. Thus, the chances of success bear down in your favor in the scales of fate, and your heart will not be burdened with disappointment.”

-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:20:15-19)

Changes His Mind

When a wise man or woman is presented with new information about something they thought they knew, they are willing to listen and change their mind when appropriate. They do have to consider the source of the information. If the source is unreliable, then so is the information.

Obstinate Fool

The fool, on the other hand, stubbornly sticks to his beliefs no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary. He also does not consider the source of the information, and accepts statements from dubious sources.

Imperfections

The wise person is aware that they are not perfect (nobody is), so they strive for improvement. More significantly, the wise person seeks improvement in their spiritual Self, not just the physical. The fool rarely seeks improvement, and when they do, it is in physical matters that are far less important than spiritual growth.

Floats on Water

The fool loves to brag about his abilities, even if they are not great and are not truly things that matter. The quote compares that to a thistle floating on water. The gemstone, which represents the wise person, sinks. That is saying that the wise person doesn’t brag about his abilities, he simply does what he knows how to do and continues to learn how to do more.

Live in Peace

Wise people live together in peace. Even if other people speak a different language, practice a different religion, or have a different skin color. The wise person knows such things are superficial and should not be used as excuses to hate others. The foolish people look for anything that makes others different, and uses those things to hate them, refuse to help them, or even start wars with them. God never wanted people to hate each other. He wants all of us to live together in peace. The wise people strive to live according to God’s Law, the fool makes up his own laws to live by.

“If wisdom now be held in low esteem, it is not wisdom’s loss but the loss of man. Wisdom cries outside the palace and the hovel. She is heard in the streets and in the gathering places. Her voice says, “O fools and sons of fools, how long will you delight in your foolishness?” But the pleasure of fools is in their foolishness, and the pleasure of the weak is in their own weakness, and therefore, they scorn the voice of wisdom.

“Let the fool eat of his tree; it will provide no sustenance in times of evil. When the whirlwind sweeps across the face of the land, bringing destruction in its wake, fools will be swallowed up, and Earth will

be as if they had never been.

“The nature of life is such that the fool does not always fail, nor is the wise man always successful. Yet failure will always be the attendant of fools and success the servant of the wise. But how is earthly success or failure measured in regions greater than Earth?

“Wisdom is the food of the soul. The wise man nourishes his soul, and it grows in beauty and strength. The fool starves his soul, and it shrivels and is distorted by weakness.

“He who has grown to wisdom never acts but at wisdom’s command. To some has been granted the ability to soak up wisdom, as the sand soaks up water. If this be your gift from God, then hug it not to your own breast as would the mean man. Share it with those who are less wise for their instruction, and hide it not from the wise, for they will multiply it.”

-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:20:10-14)

Wisdom in Low Esteem

Wisdom is held in low esteem today. Conservatives refer to those who seek spiritual development as “Woke,” a word that they say as if it were something evil instead of being the best thing that could happen to a person. As the quote says, it is Man’s loss, not Wisdom’s. Wisdom will continue to exist without Man. It is true, however, that if few people seek the Spiritual Light of the Spiritual Sun, that Light will go out again, and humanity will be trapped in a world of materialism.

The Pleasure of Fools

The material pleasures that are sought by fools are hard to resist. Even some who have started down the path of Spiritual Enlightenment can fall to the temptations of the material world when the Evil Ones whisper lies in their ears. That is why it is best for those developing their Spiritual Self to do so as part of a group that can help protect them from failure.

When the Whirlwind Sweeps

The whirlwind that sweeps away the material world is not an ordinary whirlwind. This is an allegorical reference to the power of God that will gradually change the world and the entire realm of matter, back into Spirit as it was in the beginning. Most of us have seen videos of people clinging to trees near the shore when a huge tidal wave is approaching, instead of going to higher ground where they will be safe. That is much like those who will cling to the material world as it disappears around them instead of making the effort to become Spiritual Beings.

Wisdom is the Food of the Soul

It is not true that wisdom is the food of the soul, although it is understandable why the Kolbrin Bible says this. It is God’s Light that feeds the Soul, but only those who seek wisdom through Spiritual Development gain access to that light. It is true that the Light of the Sun of Righteousness shines on all of us, but only those who seek it with the proper attitude of love and humility can absorb it in any significant amount. So continue to seek Wisdom and Spiritual Light, and do what you can to help others awaken.