Take most any statement, for example: "This is what I've always longed for." Obviously, the tone in which this statement is said can span a great divide. By tone alone the speaker can indicate sincerity--this is a long-sought achievement. On the other hand, the speaker can sarcastically by tone twist the statement to mean the reverse--this is the last thing I've ever wanted.
Now tone is closely allied with spirit. The first person in our example had a spirit of sincerity and gratitude; the second had a spirit of acidic sarcasm. Just so, spirit precedes the secular by determining meaning itself. So when we make the statement – "We will do our utmost to succeed!" – this can mean a dedicated reliance on parameters such as honesty, humility, and fairness; on the other hand, it can mean that by hook or crook no matter who gets hurt we are going come out on top. Thus, in the end, spirit or tone determines the basal structure of "due diligence." It is for this reason that spiritual life precedes and governs the dynamics of secular events.
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