Journey into Insight Chapter 13

Chapter 13

POSITIVE ACTION

‘Follow me.’ (John 1:43)

‘Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, is like one who built a house, and dug deep and laid its foundations on rock; who hears and does not, is like one who built his house without a foundation; and when the river beat against it, it fell immediately’ (Luke 6:49).

One of the first things children learn when they begin to move about unaided is the meaning of the word “no”. Setting boundaries in terms of what people ought not to do, is perhaps necessary for social order, but it is unfortunate that for many of us our moral and spiritual development never evolves beyond this level.

God clearly did not create people just to occupy a space and ‘survive’. A reader of the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30) will recognise that we are expected to use our abilities and our freedom, which God respects and values, to make a useful contribution. Thus, Christian life is essentially about actively doing good. Within certain limits we may do as we wish, but the operative word is “do”. We are expected to use our abilities and resources, according to our temperament, to explore the possibilities of the universe; and keep our creative pursuits such as learning, organising and building, raising family and ‘improving the standard of living’ in balance with proper maintenance, rest and relaxation. We ought to avoid lifestyles that consist of nothing but self indulgence, consuming and retirement.

Productive work, and indeed the pursuit of happiness itself, invariably involve some degree of cooperation. This is impossible without the necessary obedience to one another. For mature and enlightened people obedience tends to be voluntary in an atmosphere of negotiation and mutual respect, and a recognition that our instinct for freedom retains a vital role.

To be truly productive and fruitful, we must learn to obey God, which does not consist of meticulously following a detailed set of instructions, but of learning to think His way. For this, a Christian needs to become familiar with the teachings of Christ as recorded in the Scriptures. He should try to understand and follow them, and teach others to do likewise. Jesus Christ gave a new commandment to his disciples: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ (John 13:34). He set an example by the way he thought and lived, and invited us to learn from him how to make our lives worthwhile and build a close relationship with God and with one another. We must learn to extend our limited ‘selves’ to look deeper, be more inclusive of others and take a long term perspective. The decisive issue in any challenging situation should be, ‘How would Christ handle it if he had our strengths and limitations?’

We are directed to feed the hungry and thirsty, clothe the naked, give shelter to those who need it, and visit the sick and the imprisoned, (Matt. 25:34-46), which apply not only in the physical sense but in the intellectual, emotional and spiritual areas as well. Where we cannot do these directly, we should give whatever support we can to others who are able to. We may be motivated by feelings of compassion or indignation at the injustices of the world, but it is only what we do about them in relation to our capacity that ultimately counts (Mark 12:43-44). Acts of compassion, exercises in self discipline and mourning should never be done for publicity (Matt. 6:1-4), nor should distinctions be made on the basis of ‘deserving’ or ability to repay (Matt. 5:45-47).

Aside from these acts, our work is generally meant to be done openly (Matt. 5:16). Externally, our good works can help to make the world a better place. While some will dedicate their lives to ‘high profile’ objectives such as changing the ‘system’ if they have the appropriate combination of abilities and resources, each person must use his own talents to contribute in the best way he can. The prestige of an occupation should never be confused with its value. However, good works have an even more important outcome, and that is their influence on individual people. While a perfect system would be a tremendous achievement, Christ’s kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). We might even create paradise on earth, but if we do not succeed in making people better in character, then it is ultimately wasted effort. Good works not only improve the quality of life, but strengthen the character of the person who does them and set an example for others to follow.

While nobody can do enough unaided to ensure his own salvation, we are expected to cooperate with the Almighty by using all the knowledge, wisdom and resources we have been given, to take one small step at a time towards improving ourselves as people. More than anything else, it means that whenever we fail, as everyone often does, we must always try again and never accept defeat in the active pursuit of good.

A productive and fulfilling life requires learning and persistence, but generally we are intended to enjoy the process. God’s love for us means that our happiness is important to Him. Our task in this life is not to ‘exist’ in perpetual anxiety and fear of death, but to make it our business to live the best way we can and let God live and work within us. This way, not only do most evils take care of themselves, but we accomplish far more good and generate much more happiness in and around us. That is ultimately what love is about.