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The purpose of these email reflections is to stimulate the God-given longing we all have for that which is truly life-giving, and to encourage sacrificing the lesser, more immediate "satisfactions" for the greater, in all areas of life, so that one may Live and share that Life with others!
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Hello ,
I love shortcuts but I've been wondering whether it really is possible to cheat life. What do you think? - Sheldon Swartz |
Is There Anything We Really Get Away With?
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"Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it." - Proverbs 1:19
I've begun reading a chapter a day from Proverbs this week and this verse in the first chapter caught my attention.
It comes
after a description of what happens to persons who do not pursue wisdom in the
living of their lives but, in a nutshell, try to cheat life.
What is
ill-gotten gain? Most of us have
probably had to deal with the destructive effects of depending on something in
life that doesn't give life, just an illusion of it for awhile. Going for the approval of certain other
people is one people often get hung up on.
We can think, if I can just know that (person, group) thinks a lot of me,
loves me, or admires me, then I will know that I am a worthwhile person. But, just like the little girl doing flips in
the corner of the playground, we soon find ourselves in bondage to this need, and
we get upset.
Oh, you
haven't heard about the little girl in the corner of the playground? Let me tell you about her. Actually I heard about her through Byron
Katie, whose best known book is Loving What Is. She said there's this little girl who during
recess at school goes to the corner of the playground and does flips, just
because she enjoys doing it. No one is
watching and she is doing it for the pure simple enjoyment of the
experience. She feels like she was made
for this and that's why she enjoys it. She
is truly enjoying herself because she is being herself.
Of course
some of the kids on the playground glance over and notice her and what she is
doing. They are intrigued and fascinated
by what she is doing and the beauty and naturalness with which she does it so
they come over to the corner of the playground to watch her. Of course other kids look to see what they
are looking at and come over to enjoy the sight also. Even the playground supervisor comes over and
watches.
The girl
is very involved in what she is doing and for awhile does not even notice
them. But she begins to hear the ooohs
and aaaahs and becomes aware that they are watching her. She enjoys the pleasure she is able to give
them.
But she is
getting tired. After all, even though
something is very satisfying, there's only so much of it you can do before you
get tired, and she feels like quitting for this recess. So she winds down by doing flips a little
slower with more time in between them, and then stops. But those watching have not had enough of
such beauty and want more, so they say, "This is beautiful! Do it again! Do it more!"
And the little girl responds to the lure and continues doing flips,
temporarily energized by the satisfaction of seeing the smiles on the faces of
her admirers and hearing them clap.
For a time she forgets
about how tired she was, and puts more energy into her flips, even doing a few
higher than usual, which of course produces more pronounced ooohs and
aaahs.
But the
little girl begins getting irritated at her admirers. She wishes they would say, "We see that you
are tired and want to quit for now and that's ok, because we've had enough." But no, they seem oblivious to how tired she
is getting, only aware of the enjoyment they receive from watching her. She so badly wants to quit, to just be able
to stop, say, "That's all for today, folks," and walk away.
(continued next time)
"God, thank you that you have created us in such a way that when we are truly being ourselves we feel alive and free to live and we find legitimate satisfaction in that. And much of the time there is a beauty in that that reflects on you, because all true beauty comes from you. Help me to be aware of that beauty this week and thank you for it. Amen"
I work with individuals, couples, and families to identify the ways of life and death in their lives and help uncover the motivation to choose that which leads to life, whether it be through counseling or spiritual direction. - Sheldon Swartz, MA/LMFT | |
