Now I haven't lost a spouse or child to cancer. I am employed at a job I like. I have (or at least the bank does) have a home. I have a decent grasp on my position in the universe. And there are many shoes I haven't walked in. But, life as I know it—I would not go back for a redo.
Okay, so life for me is decent enough for no redoing. But there are plenty of places where the course of life demands perspective and foundation. And these perspectives, or standards, determine our life joy, and well being. But what perspective—or who's standards do we validate our life?
Over the course of my 43 young years there have been many:
- My Dad's
- My Mom's
- My Teacher's
- My Friend's
- My Peer's
- My Culture's
- My Employer's
- My Professional Peer's
- My Kids'
But it is God's standards that are the only that matter. I so often lose sight of this. And, not so amazingly enough, when I do, I struggle. Boy, do I struggle. I become very judgmental, pious, a know-it-all, a gossip, unforgiving, a regular a-hole. And not a very good example to my boys and anyone else.
Regarding God's standards, when Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment (read standard) in Matthew 22:36-40, he replies, "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
By "hang on these two commandments" I believe he means that the list above, or any additions, becomes moot. If we can focus on God's standards outlined by Jesus. The rest should take care of itself. And our answer to the time travel question should be "of course not."
As a side note, there certainly are biblical perspectives as it relates to stewardship over finances, our professional lives, environmental care, and others which may not solely fall under Jesus' answer in Matthew, but that is why there is the entirety of the Bible. The above simply was speaking to a holistic view of the standards and influences on how we behave, find validation and significance.
ReplyDeleteyou're certainly blessed with a good family & a wife you love & a faith that provides your core foundation...no doubt.
ReplyDeletebut plenty of people who have gone through the trauma you alluded to, certainly would want to go back in time.
but there was a minister in texas who lost his whole family when his crazed 15 yr old daughter turned on him (bf & his friend killed etc). the guy would later describe compare himself to jobe (which he was criticized for and i found so offensive). the guy really was jobe-like in what he had to deal with, and saw it as a test from God...remarkable.
i guess what i'm saying is, does one find their contentment with their life because they're listening to God, or are some of us more lucky than others.
Content or lucky—ours to chose individually.
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