October 12, 2003
Job 23:1-9, 16-27; Hebrews 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31
Job reached a point in his struggle to understand the unfairness of life and in his argument with God that he acknowledges bitterness in his complaint. If only he knew where he could find God. He would lay his case before God instead of dealing with an unknown, unseen God whom he believed had power to change things, but who clearly permits events in Job's life that are neither expressions of love or responsible power. Because of the contradiction in Job's life between what he wants to believe about God and what he is experiencing with God, he is faint of heart and feels he is hemmed in by darkness. This is not an unusual feeling for persons who have a belief system which is not syncronized with the way with the way God actually works.
Religion offers much contradiction in the relationship between human idealism and the realities of life. Some fundamental changes in the traditional Judeo-Christian belief system need to occur if there is to be harmony between belief and reality.
The portion selected from Hebrews is a wonderful example of why contradictions in faith are prevalent. I do not quarrel with the idea that "the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,....discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." What I quarrel with is the typical "church idea" that the word of God is either The Bible in its entirety, or selected portions of it. Of course we are privileged and fortunate to have "some word from God" in the Bible. The Bible, however, has its roots in a variety of cultures and in a history that is far different from the world of today. Surely God is saying some things outside the Bible in our own day that need to be heard and heeded! It is not always easy to discern "God's word" from something else. The human mind, experience, and memory are all wonderful tools to use in striving to hear what God is saying about never before experienced world concerns.
Back to Mark and the Jesus Story. A man came running to Jesus asking what he must do to inherit eternal life. What a question! It is not unlike the basic questions we continue to ask. We have not yet learned how to experience and appreciate the fulness of the life we have but what we think we know is that we want more of it--ETERNAL life! Wow! Isn't it good that we often do not get what we ask for! Jesus then, in an effort to discern the level of sincerity in his questioner, asked about the mans' success in keeping the commandments. Jesus was assured by his new student that the commandments were not only known, but they were kept. Jesus responded to him that he was short one major ingredient. The man should sell what he owned and give it to the poor and thus invest himself in the lives of others. The man went away sorrowful because he had many possessions--possessions which undoubtedness represented that by which he defined himself.
Quality life, i.e. the best experience of life, is only known as it is shared with others. It is not known through "things" or money with which "things" might be purchased. The only real value of "things" or money, is in what either can be exchanged for that makes a contribution to the health and spirit of God's human children, including ourselves.
The primary goal of religion should not be that of preparation for eternal life in "some age to come". Life now, this moment, should be viewed as eternal in nature. What we do with it now that makes a positive contribution to other persons and to the collective human family now and in the future--that is what creates value in life.
The opportunities for contributing to progress in the creation of eternal life in our world are a multitude in number. The ways in which we have to share positively in the lives of others, both now and in future generations, are so many that it is easy to become confused. There is an ancient fable which speaks of the donkey that starved to death as he stood between two stacks of hay trying to decide from which to eat. Care is necessary if in taking responsibility for our own lives we do not suffer the same fate.