how do I know?

Everything in the city is about appearances.  Designer clothes.  Unlined faces.  Latest gadgets (with the most apps).  Fashionable restaurants.  Upmarket cars.  Classy addresses.  Smart furniture.  We trust what we see.  We relate to people who keep the external (unwritten) rules.

But how do I know what a person is really like?  Does it matter whether a company treats its employees well?  Is it important what someones personal values are like?  How do I choose my own values?  How do I find the way into authentic spiritual life?  How do I tell if someone is a fraud?
John assures us that if we choose to genuinely desire spiritual life (he says "choose to do the will of God") we will find out whether teaching is authentically spiritual ("comes from God") or spurious (the teacher "speaks on their own ... to gain personal glory"). 

Somehow, when I am honest in living my search, I experience unease when I try to follow paths that are not leading to true spiritual life.