Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Things of the world
I've been obsessing today about what it means when it says, "seek not after the things of the world." I'm fairly sure it does not mean go out and become a homeless person since the "world" looks upon such things as bad. But if you try to succeed at your job does that mean that you're worldly? It can't. Because otherwise we're a whole church of hypocrites, for one. And for two, all we have to work with on this planet is 24 hours a day and a lot of that goes into your job. If you can't find a way to work a job that is of some service to humankind, then you've kind of wasted a huge opportunity to do the whole heavenly work thing. But then, where does the world end and the heaven bit begin? If I'm doing a good job at my job, presumably I'm more servicable. But then, if I'm doing a good job, don't I get a raise, usually? Don't I usually get more respect from peers? And aren't those "worldly?" Is it possible to do the one without doing the other? They say you can't serve both God and Mammon. But don't you kind of *have* to? Unless I'm wrong about becomming one of those homeless people, that is? Any thoughts?
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2 comments:
I usually just think of the "things of the world" as earthly possessions and I don't even think those are bad. Maybe they shouldn't be our main focus or #1 goal. The education, knowledge, doing a good job, having others respect and love, etc. are things I think we should be striving for. Those are things that will continue on.
I don't know K. You're a deep one.
Not so much deep as despondent, I think. My life is so freaking boring and there's just hour after hour of NOTHING to do in it. Part of that is dang biology. (Whoever thought that making women the only pregnant people was a good idea?) But another part is sort of the despair that there will never be anything else. I guess the "things of the world" come in because I want to believe that there can be more to my life than staring at my baby all day. The kid is cute, sure, but he's going to move out someday and I want to *do* something in the meantime. And is that a worldy desire? Because most of the things I can *do* end up having some sort of worldy component in them. A lot of this thought process was spurred off when Steve's friend won that Newbury (see next post). Because now she gets to take her toddler to book signings and go visit elementary schools and stuff. I guess I'm a little jealous of the fact that her life gets to be *interesting* now. And because she won the Newbury, it gets to be that way her *entire* life. But if I were to want something like that, isn't that worldly? Awards are worldly. The sacks of cash she'll be making are worldly. (I also wouldn't mind a sudden influx of $800,000--I found a house in the mountains I'd love to buy because it's SO *peaceful* there. But it costs $800,000. The peace part isn't worldly, maybe, but the fact that you have to pay $800,000 for it is.) But I don't think I'm too jealous of the award itself, per se. I'm jealous that she gets to not only *know* her life is meaningful, it gets to *feel* meaningful to her. I know that raising my baby is meaningful, but it doesn't always *feel* meaningful. It's kind of dull, actually. And I don't know how much more of it I can take. But I also don't feel like I have the power to get myself out of it. God has the power, maybe. If I wanted to go work at an office somewhere I'd have the power. But I don't want to work in an office. I'd rather do something like win a Newbury. Hence the whole trauma about "worldlines." :-)
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