I once undertook a great endeavor among people, but they did not notice, so I had to use My word to reveal it to them bit by bit. Still, people could not understand My words, and remained ignorant of the purpose of My plan. And so, due to their deficiencies and inadequacies, people did things to disrupt My management, and this gave all manner of unclean spirits the opportunity to enter, so that people became their victims and were tortured by these unclean spirits until they were wholly polluted. Only then did I see clearly man’s intentions and goals. I sighed from within the clouds: Why do people always act for themselves? Are My chastisements not meant to make them perfect? Am I deliberately dampening their enthusiasm? The language of man is very beautiful and gentle, whereas his actions are utterly disgraceful. Why do the demands I make of man always come to nothing? Could it be that I am asking a dog to climb a tree? That I am trying to stir up trouble without reason? In the course of My entire management plan, I have opened up a variety of “experimental plots”; however, the terrain, on account of its poor condition and its lacking sunlight for many years, is constantly changing, which leads to “fissures” in the land. And so, within My memory, I have abandoned countless such parcels of land. Even now, much of the land continues to change. If, someday, the land truly changes into another type, I will cast it aside with a flick of My hand—is this not exactly My work in the current stage? But people are not aware of this in the least; they are merely “chastised” while “under My leadership.” Why subject themselves to such misery? Could I be a God who comes intentionally to chastise people? In the heavens above, I once planned that, when I came among people, I would become one with them, so that all those I love could be in perfect closeness to Me. Now, however, having arrived at this stage today, not only do people not have contact with Me, but they even stay far away from Me because of My chastisement. I do not weep because people avoid Me. What could be done about this? People are all performers who sing along with whatever tune is being played. It is well within My ability to let people “slip” from My grasp; all the more so am I fully capable of bringing them back to My “factory” from “other areas.” At this time, what grievances could people possibly have? And what could people possibly do to Me? Aren’t people the grass growing atop a wall? And yet, I do not harm them because of this defect; I merely put My nutrients into them. What else can I do when they are so weak and feeble? When they are so malnourished? I influence the people’s cold hearts with My warm embrace—who else can do such a thing? Why have I undertaken such work among people? Can anyone truly understand My heart?

Among all whom I have chosen, I have engaged in a “business,” so there is always a coming and going of people in My home, in an unending flow. They all engage in various formalities at My place, as if they were discussing business with Me, which makes My work overwhelmingly hectic, sometimes so much so that I have no chance to handle the squabbles among them. I urge people not to add to My burdens; they had better take the reins themselves rather than constantly relying on Me. They cannot always be children in My house; what benefit would there be in that? What I do is important business; I do not run some “neighborhood snack shop,” or some other little “convenience store.” People all fail to understand My frame of mind, as if they were deliberately jesting with Me, as if they were all naughty children with an insatiable appetite for play, never considering serious matters, thus causing many to fail to complete the “homework” I have assigned them. How could people like these have the gall to show their faces to their “teacher”? Why do they never attend to what they should be doing? Unto this day, I remain unclear on what kind of object the heart of man is. Why does the heart of man change so unpredictably? It is like a day in June: Now the sun is scorching, now the clouds are thick, and now a fierce wind howls. So, why is man unable to learn from experience? Perhaps what I have said is an exaggeration. People do not even know to bring an umbrella along during the rainy season, and so, due to their ignorance, heavy downpours have left them soaked to the skin countless times with water from the skies. It’s as if I were deliberately teasing them; they are always being assaulted by rain from heaven. Or, perhaps it is that I am too “cruel,” making people foggy and thus always scatterbrained, never knowing what to do. No man has ever truly grasped the goal or significance of My work. This being so, people are all doing this work of disturbing and chastising themselves. Do I really set out to chastise man? Why does he make trouble for himself? Why does he always walk into traps? Why does he not negotiate with Me, but instead find work to do for himself? Could it be that all I give to man is not enough?

I published My “maiden work” among all humanity, and because My publication arouses great admiration in people, they all subject it to detailed and careful study, and through this attentive study, they have gained much. My written work seems to be an amazing, highly convoluted novel; it seems to be a romantic prose poem; it seems to be a discussion of a political program; it seems to be a compendium of economic wisdom. As My written work is so rich, there are many differing opinions about it, and no one could derive a preface from this work of Mine. People may have “outstanding” knowledge and talent, but this work of Mine is enough to baffle all those brave heroes. Even as they say, “Blood may flow, tears may be shed, but one is not to bow one’s head,” they have already unconsciously bowed their heads to express their surrender before My written work. From the lessons of his experience, man has summarized My written work as being like a heavenly book that fell from the sky. Yet I urge man not to be too sensitive. In My view, what I have said is all very ordinary; however, I hope that in The Encyclopedia of Life My work contains, people will be able to find something of the way of livelihood; in Man’s Destination, they may seek the meaning of life; in The Secrets of Heaven, they may seek out My intentions; and in The Path of Mankind, they may seek out the art of living. Would things not be better this way? I do not force man; if someone is uninterested in My written work, I will give them a “refund” on My book, plus a “service charge.” I do not force anyone. As the author of this book, My only hope is that readers will love My work, but people’s likes are always different. And so, I urge man not to compromise his future prospects merely because he cannot bear to let go of considerations of face. If he were to do so, how could I, kindhearted as I am, endure such great humiliation? If readers love My work, I hope they will offer Me their valuable suggestions to facilitate My “writing”, so that I may improve My “writing content” based on man’s failings. This would benefit both the author and the reader, would it not? I do not know whether My saying so is correct. Perhaps this could improve My writing ability, or strengthen the friendship between us. On the whole, I hope that all people may cooperate with My work, without disrupting it, so that My word may be transmitted to every family and home, and so that all the people on earth may be able to live within My words. This is My goal. I hope that, by reading The Chapter on Life in My words, all may gain something, be it maxims about life, or the ills of the human world, or what it is I require of man, or the “secrets” of the people of the kingdom today. However, I urge people to take a look at The Scandals of the People of Today; this would be beneficial to all. Nor would it hurt to read often from The Latest Secrets, which would be even more beneficial for people’s lives. Again, read the Hot Topics column often—would this not be even more beneficial for people’s lives? There is no harm in consulting My advice and seeing if it has any effect; afterward, you can relate to Me how reading it made you feel, that I may be better able to prescribe the correct medicine and, in the end, completely eradicate all of humanity’s maladies. I do not know what you think of My suggestions, but I hope that you will regard them as materials for your reference. How would that be?

May 12, 1992