Those Who Have Constant Faith Will Have Constant Actions

Xuefeng

April 25, 2024

Mencius said, “Only those who have constant possessions can have constant hearts; those who lack constant possessions will lack constant hearts.” From this, we can understand that only when the common people live and work in peace and contentment can society be peaceful and harmonious, and all industries can prosper and develop.

However, can those who have constant possessions always abide by the law and refrain from wrongdoing? Will those who lack constant possessions inevitably break the law and engage in all sorts of misconduct?

Not necessarily.

The legal protection of private property rights is a universal value. Any act that deprives individuals of their lawful private property is a crime, regardless of the noble moral justifications. The sanctity of lawful private property rights is both natural and divine, a protection and respect for the people’s livelihood and reproduction. It is the guarantee of the people’s survival and prosperity.

Enabling the multitude to possess constant property is like providing vast pastures for cattle and sheep; this is the way to nurture the people of the world.

But let us not forget that “constant possessions” belong to the material realm. If a person’s steadfastness depends solely on material possessions, their perspective and realm would be too narrow, and their spirit and consciousness would remain at an animalistic level, making it difficult for their life to ascend to heaven. In heaven, everyone has the right to use, but no one has the right to own; everything is shared, and everyone owns nothing yet possesses everything.

Did Jesus Christ have constant possessions? Did Siddhartha Gautama Buddha and the sage Laozi have constant possessions? Did many missionaries have constant possessions? Yet, they all had constancy of heart.

Above the notion that “those who have constant possessions have constancy of heart” lies a higher level of spiritual and conscious state: those who have constant faith have constant actions.

For those with unwavering faith, regardless of whether they possess constant material wealth or not, no matter how difficult and tortuous the path, they will persevere steadfastly towards their predetermined direction and goals, that is, constant action.

Those who possess constant possessions may not refrain from wrongdoing, but those who have constant faith will never transgress. For example, someone may own a small farm, signifying constant possessions, yet cannot guarantee that they won’t use pesticides, fertilizers, or even growth hormones on their vegetables and fruits. But for those with constant faith, they won’t, because they are acutely aware of the dreadful consequences of transgression.

Of course, the constancy of faith depends on what one believes in. If one believes in “money is almighty” or “money can make ghosts grind,” then their lifelong constancy will be in the pursuit of wealth.

However, regardless of what the faithful believe in, the realm and perspective of “those who have constant faith have constant actions” far surpasses the realm and perspective of “those who have constant possessions have constancy of heart.”

A pig, once it has a pigsty, possesses constant possessions and constancy of heart.

A swan, without a fixed home and without constant possessions, has constant faith. Therefore, the swan can freely soar between heaven and earth, migrate freely with the change of seasons, and fly wherever it wants to go.