7 Deadly Sins

We are all humans.  We all have our selfish moments.  We all make mistakes, but the important thing is to learn from those mistakes and use those experiences to better yourself.  That is the beauty of life: to be able to work on our flaws and make them better, to learn and grow.

In the move, Se7en, the murderer, John Doe (played by Kevin Spacey), goes around killing people who he believes embody these sins.  While in the back of a police car, he states,

“We see a deadly sin on every street corner, in every home, and we tolerate it.  We tolerate it because it's common, it's trivial.” 

He then begins to list his victims and explain the sin that they have committed.

This really hits home because it's true—just maybe not always to the full extreme.  In some ways, the media and society has accepted these sins and adapted to that kind of lifestyle that it is not even recognizable as something wrong anymore.  For example, blowing up the names of supermodels and worshipping them for their ‘perfect’ bodies.  This indirectly tells society that we have to look like that to be accepted and loved.  However, this links back to lust, a deadly sin, because we are yearning for that superficial image of an ideal person to achieve sexual desires and pleasures.

Anyway, after watching the movie and thinking about what I have done in terms of these 7 deadly sins, I have set goals for myself. 

1. I will watch what I consume and not take in more than I need just because I am craving for the taste or want to make the best of it. 
2. I will control my desire of superficial possessions and reward myself only when I feel I have deserved it. 
3. I will take full advantage of my day and not let anything go without purpose instead of just sitting there, letting the world pass me by. 
4. I will admire others and aim to be just as good and successful, but I will not envy them or resent them for those traits that I do not have. 
5. I will choose love and understanding over anger and getting into fights. 
6. I will be humble and accept correction to better myself. 
7. I will learn to love myself for me and not because I look like a Barbie or a supermodel.

Ultimately, to be able to recognize your wrongs and work to fix them is powerful and incredible.  However, another challenge is to positively influence others to do the same.  Lead them.  Be a leader and help them down the road of redemption, purpose and success.  I believe that to take full advantage of your traits and blessings is to be able to share them among others as well.