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A few key insights from chapter one:

1. Jesus was a poor Jew himself. He was not of high status or part of a dominant group. He lived among the minority, and we must remember that when analyzing his genius. We cannot separate Jesus from the environment he was in and its circumstances.

2. Jesus’ way was not idle. He did not believe in remaining passive in the face of oppression and domination. However, he believed that change began from within. We cannot change the world if our personal attitudes do not change.

3. If your heart is weary, external forces take their toll on you. If your internal world is not stable, the slightest external stressor can throw you off guard and off the track of Jesus. For that reason, change starts from within. When we strengthen ourselves internally, external forces grow weaker.

4. If external forces win the battle against your spirit by dragging you down into the same evil they commit, they have succeeded in their pursuit of controlling you. If they cannot cause your spirit to commit the same vices of hatred, they cannot prevail.