Eddie Walker

Enough about my life...on to more philosophical endeavours...So I overheard a conversation this morning concerning relationships and their downfall...I would assert that the majority of them have within the last couple of hundred years have fallen a part as a result of selfishness that has become all pervasive within Western Culture...(I am realizing this in part because of my own difficulties in being consumed with introspection...the idea that the world must relate to me rather than my relation to the world...this ideal is one that I am trying to extract from my relationship with the Lord as well...really not "new" just the same lesson that I can't learn)

So the conversation this morning made some similar assertions...However, I was thinking about the "Focus on the Family" stuff that has become popular over the last 20 years...Oddly enough "Focus on the Family" as well as a majority of the Church has said that the reason why there are so many problems in culture is because of the breakdown of family...I disagree...This is a misinterpretation...(although "Focus on the Family" would be a great title if family meant our communities, neighbors, etc.)...We are simply recognizing symptoms of a greater problem...Symptom (A) breakdown of culture, Symptom (B) it's because of family, Remedy: Fix family (false), Symptom (A) and (B) are the same as the aforementioned, However there is Symptom (C) which is introspection and invidualism (there are a slew of other symptoms as well) Remedy: Know and Love Jesus and let that extend to others...(Lamenting myself: I wish I could write an awesome syllogism)...I agree with the fact that the breakdown of family is a problem...However, this is a result of Individualism's hostile take over of Western Ideology...If I believe that the World must relate to me on my terms and that my happiness is my ultimate end...How does this view sustain itself in light of a family? My wife and my children then become a means in which I am trying to achieve my ultimate end or happiness...(i.e. a selfish prick like me)...My relationship with the Lord can be viewed in a similar fashion...I enjoy being a follower of Jesus until it no longer serves a purpose in making me feel good...I believe that as we view ourselves as gods (meaning that everything must relate to us...Because that's the case with God...He is the author everthing therefore everything IS related to Him)

However, the particular conversation this morning revolved around how can we stay relevant to the times as men...Can we expect women to follow our every whim?...An interesting question, but the wrong one...I don't think we need to be relevant...I think the idea of some sort of role reversal was birthed out of the feminist movement...I think the feminist movement was a reaction to the age of "Enlightenment"...(it was so enlightening wasn't it?)...The age of Enlightenment and the Renaissance...(I believe these are distinct periods, if not correct me, if so, it was a cooperative efffort)...promoted self...promoted the bettering of self...the progressive nature of man...As men were the "head" of the household it was they, not Eve, if I may juxtapose these two historical events, that bit of the fruit first...As a result they became consumed in their work..ideals...desires...mistresses... and why shouldn't they? They were pursuing their ultimate end...a blissful existence...an existence that allowed the World to be the stage for their epic saga...After about a hundred years of this women got sick of their husbands pursuing their ultimate end...Thus the Feminist movement...A movement that states..."Hey our men are fulfilling all of their selfish ambition...why shouldn't we?" (I place no blame here...in fact I give them credit for waiting as long as they did to succomb to their individualistic tendencies)

So here we are today...We have the advent of relationships that include two individuals, each one expecting: (1) the other individual to sacrifice selflessly (2) the other individual to promote and aid in achieving their ultimate end...You may ask what did relationships look like prior to the Renaissance and Age of Enlightment...I don't know...I would assume and contend that these relationships consisted of individuals that understood compromise and sacrifice...I do believe that the man should take charge and plan to lead and I believe that women must redirect and challenge men...Women know that men are horrible with directions so it is up to them to keep them on the correct path...(Disclaimer: these are loose generalizations)

As a result of these uphill battles that we in our Western world face as follower's of Jesus...It is becoming all the more clear to me as to why Christians in other parts of the world believe that it is difficult to be a follower of Christ here...No wonder they view America as being a Mission field...I believe that it is because of the aforementioned reasons that God has kept me single...How do I consistently remind myself that Happiness...my desires...etc. are not my ultimate End...Bringing God glory is my Ultimate end...As Jonathan Edwards states...(Pick up God's Passion for His Glory by John Piper,half the book is Jonathan Edwards sermon)

I should rejoice in the fact that I have not met anyone because it would be a travesty for me to expect another individual to aid and promote my Ultimate end if I view it as happiness...I must realize that God will equip me to achieve my true calling...to bring Him Glory...As long as that is what I am pursuing...If a wife may better equip me...He will provide the means...So as a final word of encouragement for those singles...It could be possible that our priorities are not correctly aligned...It is possible that God is trying to redirect our paths...It is possible that we had the unfortunate incident to grow up in a society that teaches us that we have the capacity to be "happy at all times," if we just work hard enough...In growing up in Western Culture it is unfortunate that there are others that want to pursue Jesus, but as Follower's have allowed their personal ultimate Ends to direct their lifestyles (this makes it difficult to meet people)...However, let's embrace it as a community of singles and aid one another in pursuing Jesus...Let's not forget that our trials are not trivial...If I hear one more person say..."Just be content,"...in that patronizing, condescending, obnoxious tone...I will forget about what Jesus said while He preached the Sermon on the Mount and punch someone in the face...People...I encourage and exhort you to use the creative nature God gave you to LOVE those around you and suffer with them...Rather than redirect from your superior vantage point by shouting down directions...It's like being on a plateau and having a great view of the easiest path to the correct destination...However, for the individual traveling they must cross ravines, briar patches, swamps, and the like to get there...It's easy to lose sight of the difficulties that others endure as we have effectively made it out of the labyrinth...

posted by Unknown @ 10:47 AM