Tuesday, November 12, 2013

114: The Fortuneteller

 

Gyatso:  The future can sometimes be scary because we do not know how things will work out in the future, and we wish we could know now what will happen tomorrow, so we can prepare for it.  Some people look to mystical people to tell them what will happen, so they wouldn’t need to fear the future, or so that they can make plans. 

Yes, the world is not under our control, and many things happen to us that we do not choose, but we CAN always choose how we will react to the things that happen in our lives.  In this way, we have the ability to ultimately choose our destiny.  

Sokka points out that these people are making their own futures, even when following Aunt Wu’s predictions, because it changes their actions that bring about the fulfillment of her predictions.   Although Aunt Wu can’t really see into the future, we do see how powerful hope and trust can be in leading people to action, even taking control of their lives, even if it is in falsehoods.  

There are real prophets however, and they do foretell the future, but usually with an eternal perspective.  This can provide guidance, it can be comforting, and ultimately, the greatest comfort is knowing that Christ will triumph and we need not fear if we follow Him.  

So we have no need to seek out any person or any thing to try to tell us our future or our fortunes.  We see what it does to Katara, and how she becomes dependent upon it.  We see how dangerous it can be to follow someone blindly.  

But we also know how comforting it is to know that God loves us, has a plan for us, and if we keep his commandments, we will have peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come.
 

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