Oh dear .. I'm so vain. Over the past few years I've talked a lot about "getting rid of things" & "living a simpler life." I even made some feeble attempts to practise what I preach: I cut off cable vision, in fact, I got rid of my tv altogether (after all, there's nothing decent showing, except for biweekly F1 races, soccer saturdays, and the BBC News), the odd time I gave away old clothing items I haven't worn in years, and I stopped visiting IKEA to satisfy my desires for "cool furniture", but other than that .. I really haven't done much.
In fact, the opposite has been the case. I've been accumulating all kinds of toys: an iPod, a digital voice recorder, soccer boots, the odd cd, and (admittedly) new clothes and shoes continue to find their way into my closet. This, in addition to the plethora of books I buy!!
Today, for example, I went downtown. Goal: to buy one or maybe two cds. Expected expenditure: $35, maximum.
When I came home, I'd spent in the vicinity of $200. Breakdown: 2 polo shirts (Zara navy blue, CM red, $100), a button shirt (CM orange, $60), and one cd (JS Bach, 2 & 3 Part Inventions, $12). Justification (or rather .. rationalization)? "I need summer clothing."
I'm realizing just how much this culture of utilitarianism (do whatever brings pleasure) and materialism (acquisition of material things) is a part of me. I cannot separate myself from it.
It seems that the Christian life is a life lived in paradox. I cannot withdraw from society in order to avoid evil. After all, culture has many good things to offer. There is no place where God's grace and goodness is absent. All that is good is of God.
On the other hand, I cannot accept what the world offers cart-blanche, assuming that everything it offers is good and profitable for this life and the life to come.
Somehow, I have to engage, interact, embrace, and immerse myself in the world, while at the same time distance myself from it, reject it, and push it away. I have to love it and hate it concurrently: creative tension.
This is what God in Jesus did. He loved his creation, the world: the incarnation shows that. But he hated what had happened to it: he died in order to restore it.
It's his resurrection, ascension, and promise to come back in glory, to wash away all tears and sadness, to end all suffering, to rejoice with his people, that gives me the impetus to love this world, while resisting its attempt to determine my values.
In fact, the opposite has been the case. I've been accumulating all kinds of toys: an iPod, a digital voice recorder, soccer boots, the odd cd, and (admittedly) new clothes and shoes continue to find their way into my closet. This, in addition to the plethora of books I buy!!
Today, for example, I went downtown. Goal: to buy one or maybe two cds. Expected expenditure: $35, maximum.
When I came home, I'd spent in the vicinity of $200. Breakdown: 2 polo shirts (Zara navy blue, CM red, $100), a button shirt (CM orange, $60), and one cd (JS Bach, 2 & 3 Part Inventions, $12). Justification (or rather .. rationalization)? "I need summer clothing."
I'm realizing just how much this culture of utilitarianism (do whatever brings pleasure) and materialism (acquisition of material things) is a part of me. I cannot separate myself from it.
It seems that the Christian life is a life lived in paradox. I cannot withdraw from society in order to avoid evil. After all, culture has many good things to offer. There is no place where God's grace and goodness is absent. All that is good is of God.
On the other hand, I cannot accept what the world offers cart-blanche, assuming that everything it offers is good and profitable for this life and the life to come.
Somehow, I have to engage, interact, embrace, and immerse myself in the world, while at the same time distance myself from it, reject it, and push it away. I have to love it and hate it concurrently: creative tension.
This is what God in Jesus did. He loved his creation, the world: the incarnation shows that. But he hated what had happened to it: he died in order to restore it.
It's his resurrection, ascension, and promise to come back in glory, to wash away all tears and sadness, to end all suffering, to rejoice with his people, that gives me the impetus to love this world, while resisting its attempt to determine my values.
Heavenly Father, Loving Son, Comforting Spirit .. give me the wisdom to recognize what's good and right in this world, and the strength to pursue it.
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