Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 7
The “rust” illustration contrasts wiping off fresh rust versus dealing with years of corrosion; what practices of self-examination (especially tied to communion, as the speaker notes) could help expose envy early, before it pits and weakens the “beam” of your soul?
Another way to ask: What habits of checking your own heart—especially around communion—could help you notice envy early, before it becomes deep and hard to remove?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The speaker points to regular self-examination—especially before communion—by honestly reviewing negative thoughts and relational irritations, so envy can be identified early and “wiped off” before it corrodes the soul.
- He uses the rust picture: fresh rust after a rain can be wiped off easily; old corrosion is “massive,” “pitted,” and hard to restore.
- He applies it directly: “If you deal with envy quickly and you understand what it is, it doesn’t take much to get it off.”
- He urges “a self-evaluation, a self-examination… We’re going into… communion… We should live in a way of doing self-examinations.”
- He gives concrete areas to examine: “bad thoughts… towards your spouse… your children… between parents and children… towards your brothers and sisters… neighbors.”
- He describes envy’s inner symptoms: “a gnawing worm… a rust of the heart,” and says envy “enslaves the secret operations of thought.”