July 21, 2009

Number29

VIEWPOINT

Have you ever heard of the Belgian women's soccer team called “SK Berlaar”?

I hadn’t either until I noticed this piece of sports trivia:  the Belgian team has the unfortunate fame of experiencing the most lopsided drubbing in soccer history.  The team lost its game to rival KV Mechelen by the tally of 50-1.  That's right – 50-1!  The half-time score was 27-0.  One of the players made this observation:  “After half-time we were able to recover. We had to stomach only 23 goals and we scored one ourselves, right at the end.  They allowed us to score.  That was sweet of them.”

Was it a mismatch?  Was the losing team really off its game?  Maybe all the cylinders misfired on that evening.

Actually it wasn’t a matter of the team playing badly; it was a matter of one player blowing off a commitment.

Rather than show up and compete with her team, SK Berlaar's starting goalkeeper decided instead to go to a “monster rock” music fest.  Furthermore, this wasn't a matter of her forgetting that she had a game to play.  She knew all about the game, but she instead chose the concert.

What was going through her mind?  Didn't she have any sense of loyalty to the team, or any sense of commitment to something outside herself?  This wasn't a matter of missing a game to be with a dying relative, or sitting with a close friend’s family during a life-threatening surgery.  Nor was it an issue of keeping a vital family obligation that makes all “games” irrelevant.  She went to the concert because that is what she wanted to do.

Even as we shake our heads in confused amazement, are we really surprised?  We now live in a world where any sense of personal duty, commitment, and obligation take a very real back seat to my individual whims, impulses, and desires.  Think about the things we pursue because “this will make me happy.” Forget about how this might affect others; what truly matters is “what I want and what will give me the quickest gratification.”

As our culture becomes continuously more ego driven and self-serving, we may see more and more destructive pursuit of individualistic desires.  Does this mindset wreak havoc on families?  Does it weaken spiritual commitment and church involvement?  What about loyalty to job and company?  What does such an attitude do toward building any sense of community?

Are personal contentment and satisfaction my chief priorities? Or do those benefits occur when I am responsible to my duty and faithful to my commitments?  Maybe this is part of what it means to have integrity. 

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In case you don’t get around to looking it up, you might want to know this:  ataraxia – “freedom from worry or any other preoccupation.”   I look forward to seeing you Sunday with a Bible, a smile and a positive word.  RA

Ataraxia

“Everybody talkin’ about peace of mind ain’t findin’ it – cause jus’ about everybody lookin’ in the wrong place.”

The foregoing paraphrase of a well-known spiritual may serve to open a door to introspection.  The most of us are prone to imagine that a few simple changes in our lives would guarantee peace of mind.  We are rather confident that all would be well if income were to exceed outgo; if a little weight could be lost; if a little weight could be gained; if income taxes were abolished; if children were more submissive; if parents were more lenient; if friends were more understanding; if health were better; if, If, IF . . . .

Alas, “man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1).  Even Longfellow, that wonderful purveyor of good cheer, admitted that

               Into each life some rain must fall,

                    Some days must be dark and dreary.

The answer to man's longing for peace of mind lies in that unquenchable spark called hope.  Man is saved, among other things, by hope (Romans 8:24).  Hope, leading to peace of mind, may be engendered by a baby's happy smile, by a word of encouragement in time of need, by a knowledge of the reliability of the stars in their courses, and by all things great and small that attest the goodness and power of God.  Above all, there is hope and peace of mind to be found in our heavenly Father's promise to His obedient children of life everlasting (Revelation 22:14).  

    – Dan Harless