So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and said unto them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”

Reflection: 

(Direct Translation): Whatever trials I face in my life, I am encouraged to keep going and overcome that struggle. Whatever happens, I look for a way to overcome it so that I know where I am weak and whether I can do it or not. If I can’t do it, I’ll find a way to overcome it and reach what God is providing. 

They always gossip about me, saying this and that about me. What they don’t know is that I just leave them be. I only focus on supporting my children’s education. They misinterpret my actions as being miserly and selfish, but I deny those claims. I just learned to follow a budget. When I graduated high school and started working, I splurged and indulged myself. Yet when I stopped working, I got depressed living that lifestyle and changed. I realized how important it is to manage what is given to me. The blessings given to us–we have to guard these blessings. If we abuse these blessings, the One Above knows how to repay them. He tests me and made me realize how much money I’ve been wasting. 

Before, I didn’t cook. Instead, I ate fast food like Jollibee and MCdo, but when I lost my job, I realized how important it is to budget. People ask me why I sent my children to study in the city. I just leave them be since I don’t ask them for help. I worked hard to support my children. They also say that I am not approachable.

They say so many things about me but I don’t mind them. If I did, I’d just get stressed. I just focus on my family. Whatever happens around me, never mind. I am happy that I raised my children right. I taught personality development before, and I am using those principles on myself. 

For example, there’s brown water and white water. What’s the difference? Brown water is dirty and white is clean. It’s the same thing in life. Where do I side- darkness or light? They might say bad things about me but I know myself. They can’t judge me and I can’t judge them either. Only God and I know myself well. Don’t judge by its cover. 

(Abbreviated version): Don’t judge [a book] by the cover. People always gossip and misinterpret my actions, saying things like I am not generous and that I am unapproachable, but I know myself and know that God knows me. I do not mind what others say about me. If I did, I’d be stressed. I only focus on my family, especially my children’s education. 

I learned that we must take care of the blessings God has provided. We have to guard these blessings and not abuse them. When we abuse the blessings, God might take them back. When I was younger, I lived an indulgent lifestyle, spending money as I liked. Yet when I lost my job and had to take care of my children, I realized how important budgeting was. He tested me and made me realize how much money I’d been wasting. Now, I manage my finances and follow my budget, even though people misinterpret it as being selfish. 

I learned to face trials and keep going. Whatever happens, I look for a way to overcome it despite my weaknesses.