St. John of the Cross, doctor of the Church and teacher of the spiritual life, warns us about the three enemies of the soul that can distance us from God: the world, the devil, and the flesh. In this article, we explore the precautions that the saint proposes against the world, understood as the disordered attachment to material things, vanity, and the search for human recognition.

The world attracts us with promises of pleasure, prestige, and power, but these illusions end up leaving the heart empty. St. John of the Cross offers us three fundamental cautions to remain firm in the search for union with God:

1. Do not cling to people out of disordered affection. We must love everyone with Christian charity but without making distinctions based on human preferences. If our love is based on selfishness or the search for affection, we run the risk of distancing ourselves from God.
2. Do not depend on material goods. The second caution invites us to detach ourselves from the things of this world. St. John of the Cross reminds us that we must trust in God’s providence and not worry excessively about the possession of goods.
3. Avoid criticism and gossip. The saint warns us that speaking badly of others or being attentive to their defects only fills us with restlessness and inner disorder. Instead of focusing on the mistakes of others, we must focus our attention on the purification of our own souls.

The world offers false security, but true peace is only found in God. Practicing these cautions helps us to live with greater freedom and spiritual fullness, opening our hearts to the authentic love that only He can give.

St. John of the Cross speaks of nine cautions, divided into three groups according to the enemies of the soul:

• Three cautions against the world
• Three cautions against the devil
• Three cautions against the flesh