“I regret that it takes a life to lean how to live.” Jonathan Safran Fore
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10
Life: “the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
So my cat is addicted to the iPad. I don’t know if you’ve seen them, but there are games for cats to play that you can get for tablets. They feature mice and goldfish and birds that run, swim, or fly across the screen enticing any cat to try and catch them. As I’m writing this my cat is pawing at a blank screen trying to conjure a chasuble object to appear. Of course there’s nothing to catch. It doesn’t matter how long Millie plays, or how many times she claws at that same rat she will never catch anything on from an iPad. My wife and I have wondered if it’s torturous for her. If she gets depressed never catching anything. But then I wonder if it’s torturous for me when I watch TV all day? Or play on the computer all day? Or..? We laugh at a cat chasing an object it will never catch and ignore the fact that we do the same thing. How much of our time is synthetic living? How much of our time do we spend vicariously living through a reality TV family? How much time do we spend actually getting out into what God has created, interacting with His creatures? Don’t get me wrong. I’m not casting any stones. I’m one of the entertainment industries best customers. But to come back to a question I asked a few sentences ago. Yes, it is torturous and depressing to watch TV all day. Have you ever tried it? Sometimes it’s good to relax and enjoy lazy entertainment. However, the end of the day doesn’t quite feel as good as when we’ve actually lived real life. When I’m watching TV who am I? Who are we when we’re not making a difference in the world? We’re like a tree falling when no one is around to hear. The only one effected is us. And the affect isn’t good. What’s the point of having all these talents and abilities if they lay dormant and smother in laziness. Ability without action leads to depression. Depression can’t exist in the presence of our true purpose. I’m not saying we should all throw our TVs out. I don’t plan on throwing mine away anytime soon. But if there’s something keeping us from living with purpose, it needs to be handled. If not, we’re no different than my cat trying to catch a fake mouse that can never be caught. Let’s get out there and catch some real mice. I guess Jesus threw down the gauntlet when He said to Peter and Andrew, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 He’s calling us all to do the same. Let’s not let it take a life to learn how to live.
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone in kindness today?
What did I learn today?
What am I thankful for?
Who did I love today?
What am I dreaming of?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading,
Jake
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