Zen Master or Rugged Capitalist: Fusing the Dichotomy
Where art thou wise Yoda, in our time of Need?
Is it possible to pour your heart and soul into something without building an identity around it?
Is it possible to fully embrace the economic reality of our society without being “of the world”?
Three questions that have been on my mind lately, and I know the answer to each…is Yes.
Reconciling the Spiritual with the Physical
We are simultaneously faced with two opposing realities: we are both eternal beings AND temporary forms. Furthermore, it seems as though we are forced to focus our attention on either that which we need to sustain life but won’t last (the physical), or what we need to be happy, but won’t sustain life (the eternal).
Therefore, you find many people who fully embrace one end of the spectrum and neglect the other: on one side, a Buddhist monk who has relinquished all connection to the physical world; a pragmatic entrepreneur who disregards all things metaphysical on the other. Both are fully embracing life, but in my opinion both are incomplete. It's in finding the balance between the spiritual and physical, in splitting the Gordian knot down the center, that we find happiness in this life and success in both realms. But what could possibly motivate an individual to strive for something with all their being while simultaneously remaining in a state of inner peace regardless of the results?
Finding Meaning and Motivation in Life’s Higher Purpose
The essence of accomplishing this is finding a higher purpose for our existence, in something far greater than our self. This higher purpose, life mission, God’s plan for us, or whatever we wish to call it, instills within us a burning desire and passion for life, but also disconnects us from the results of our efforts. We have transcended the realm of the physical where results are manifested and we have now entered the eternal where we are no longer defined by the fruit of our labor, but by the mission itself.
What’s interesting is that this mission always centers on serving others and serving God, in which there is no difference. In Matthew 25:40, a mantra for my life, Jesus plainly states, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my bretheren you have done it unto me.”
Melding Mission and Money
This all sounds all fine and good, but we all know we can’t make a living helping the homeless or working at a food bank. So how do we incorporate our mission into our careers? In my opinion, your career, where you live, or any other aspect of your life situation is completely irrelevant to fulfilling your life’s mission. All that matters is that you give everything you have to fulfilling the measure of your creation, God will take care of the rest….He really will!
This is the essence of Christ’s teaching in Matthew 6:
“….Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth……But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven….For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also……Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on…….But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
So we can see that it’s through living these spiritual principles that we can find happiness in this life as well as the next. If we are passionate about embracing our eternal nature, God throws the physical in. If we make the temporal things of the world primary in our lives, we lose them both.
We look to Christ for the perfect example of life on earth. Not only did He transcend His physical nature, but He did it for us as well.
There are many examples of those who have achieved a high level of self mastery, but He is more than an example. We look to Him for our salvation. As the One who made it possible for us to be one with the Father and to transcend this world….giving us the ability to fuse the dichotomy between our spiritual and physical natures. To be able to strive without connection to results; to have ambition without an identity crisis; to live this life with hope and the knowledge that Love transcends all of the temporary circumstances we may find ourselves blessed to experience.
So imagine yourself living this principle…in full surrender of yourself and fully engaged in doing the will of the Father; giving your heart to fulfilling your life’s mission.
What can add or detract from your happiness?....nothing in this world.
Thanks for being here today.
Thoughts, comments, questions?
How I met Jesus in Fort Worth, Texas!
by: Jason Hughes www.figliving.com
It was about 9:00 pm and I was walking down Houston Ave in downtown Fort Worth, Texas desperately seeking a hot meal. It had been a hectic day of travel that included a full blown sprint to catch a flight, lost luggage, “misplaced” hotel reservations, and no food. It was cold, I was tired, and my quest for an authentic Tex-Mex meal was looking bleak, so I compromised and settled for some Applebee’s wanna-be. By this time I had reached caveman status so I grabbed a seat and ordered way too much food. While anxiously awaiting the arrival of my meal I tried to distract myself by reflecting on the purpose of my trip. I had traveled to Texas to attend a three-day course to be further trained in the arts of high-end residential swimming pool construction…...and I was pumped. An opportunity to learn, meet new people, and…never mind here comes my food. My meal finally hit the table and I was ready to dig in when some dirty guy taps on the window, points to his wide open mouth and lips the word “homeless”. So I kind of look down at my food for a split second and think, ‘this is awkward’, but instantly look up again to gaze at the man. But when I did it wasn’t the same person. In my eyes his appearance had completely transformed. You see, in that split second I looked down, I remembered something I had read in the Bible that changed the way I saw the world as well as everyone around me. It is one of Jesus’ teachings found in Matthew chapter 25. He taught “what you have done to the least of these your brethren you have done unto me”. When I looked out of the window the second time the person I saw was Him…..literally. So, let’s pause to ask ourselves an honest question: If Jesus tapped on your window and asked you for help how would you respond? Probably exactly as I did. I got up, went outside and talked to Him. After we exchanged a few words and I gave Him some money (I mean come on, it was Jesus, the least I could do was give Him ten bucks!). At that point his eyes welled up with tears and he said “I just want to give you a hug”. Then we embraced. Not only did I meet Jesus in Fort Worth, but He gave me a hug as well! This was an experience I will always treasure. It has little to do with giving to the homeless and everything to do with the little opportunities we have on a daily basis to serve others. Based on my experience, it is only on the rare occasion I forget myself and seek to help others that I find anything close to real joy, the kind of happiness that endures. All other types of pseudo-happiness eventually wither, leaving only a feeling of utter emptiness. This requires a change of focus, a paradigm shift. It’s extremely difficult. Only the best people in history have even come close to it, only One has ever done it perfectly. Service is not about the why, the where, or the how….it is about the Who.
Please share a faith building experience you've had in the comments section below. Thanks!
Northern Neck Food Bank distributes Food and Love!
On the second Saturday of each month the White Stone Church of the Nazerene in the Northern Neck of Virginia opens its doors to those who stand in need: food for those with empty cabinets, love for those with empty hearts, and an opportunity to serve for those who need to fill an emptiness inside of themselves. This is a wonderful experience for all involved. From the second you walk through the door it's obvious that the objective is to do more than simply provide for the temporal needs of the patrons. Everyone is warmly greeted and the morning is started off with a spirit filled prayer which is followed by a hot breakfast. Patrons then have their orders filled and taken to their vehicles. From start to finish each patron is made to feel valued and loved. Smiling faces abound and the Spirit of the Lord abides as this wonderful service takes place. I have had the opportunity to work with Lance Barton and the team of dedicated volunteers on several occasions; each time knowing that I was the one blessed by the experience. Last time we brought five young men from our church with us and they were all blown away. Each one stood before the congregation the next day and shared their experiences. All of the boys were moved and several became emotional as they shared what an impact serving others had on them. I would encourage anyone who could possibly spare a couple hours on a Saturday morning to participate. What better thing can we do with our time than serve others?
