How many times have we been guilty of perceiving prosperity and pondering it's absence in our lives? Worse yet, how many times have we invested great energy into trying to go after that which is not our own, or that which we truly don't need?
According to the rules of capitalism, competition is a good thing. It keeps the prices of commodities at relatively affordable levels, but it also holds the potential for feeding human temptations toward such vices as greed and envy. These are no strangers to the human heart. In fact they have been with us (it would seem) since the beginning of our existence. Greed and envy (along with many other similar vices) have ruined many a good relationship, and constantly threaten to bare their ugly heads if we're not on the lookout.
Prime examples of these behaviors show up in the story of Joseph and his brothers, and in the stories that Jesus recounted to his disciples about landowners who dared to entrust their riches to supposedly trusted tenants. Left to their own devices, both these groups of individuals fell prey to the temptation toward self-centredness, all in the name of trying to go after perceived riches or blessings which ultimately led to disasterous consequences.
As we draw ever deeper into the season of Lent, perhaps it would do us well to consider the ways that we too fall prey to these temptations. Identifying these occasions is the first step to controlling the desire for selfish gain. It might even help us to begin anew on the path toward overcoming these temptations (one day at a time) and concentrating rather on celebrating the good fortune of others, while recognizing our own gifts with gratitude.
1 comment:
There have been several areas of my life where I would only think of how they would serve me. Exercise and work are two that come to mind. I would always try to push myself the extra mile on a run or one more set on the bench for nothing more than self gratification. Now, when I see a purpose to working out that involves helping others there is a whole new level of performance that opens up as a benefit. It is performance on the side of relationships with people I care about instead of simply moving inanimate objects around the gym. Thanks for the reminder of how powerful this can be.
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