This semester we have been discussing Plato's The Republic in philosophy class. It begins in the search for justice in a man then in society. By justice they mean the search for the right kind of life. This is the question we all face each and every day.
What does it mean to live justly? What does a good life consist of? Solomon in Ecclesiastes says to fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man. The gospels tell us to love God and love your neighbor as yourself. These are great starting points, but what does that look like in every day life? I want to focus on one aspect where we limit God's work in our life and thereby limit his ability to mold us and shape us.
I think our biggest difficulty in finding this just life is the limitation we place on ourselves. We limit God by allowing societal based moralities to influence the people we allow in our lives. We all want to be loved and to express love in many forms, yet we want to love only certain people. We are biased toward those we want in our lives. By what standard do we choose the people we allow in or life? Physical standards such as height, weight, hair color, eye color, skin color, or gender may be some traits that determine whether we accept or reject people. I am 6'4" tall and losing weight (enough said). I am blonde haired and blue eyed. I am white (caucasian for you pc types) and male. If I choose to exclude all those who aren't like me physically I am saying to God, "Only speak to me through people who are like me physically." What if God has a word for me from a short Hispanic lady? Did I miss out because I reject her physically? It is very possible that I may miss something God wants me to learn because I reject her based on appearance.
What about those who are poor or may not be as wealthy as I am? Do they have anything to offer me in this search for a just life? What about those who are wealthier than I am? Can I listen to them? Rejecting someone based on their economic standing is no different than rejecting someone based on appearance.
What about those who are younger or older? Adults tend to dismiss the thoughts of a child or even a teenager. Youth think it's weird when an older person shares their life. Some of the best moments in my life have been shared with a child who loves unconditionally and gives their heart without measure. Tonight I was surrounded at work with kids from ages 5-9 and all wanted to play Connect Four against me. What a privilege I have to be loved by kids who want to spend time with me. Young people can find wisdom and guidance from those older than them. They can hear life stories and if they listen well can receive guidance for their own future.
Let me us Jesus for an example. He was surrounded by every person type you could think of: young, old, rich poor, the Jew and the Samaritan, or the leper and the Pharisee. You can find harsh words for all of these in the gospels, but you will never find Jesus rejecting a person based on their differences. In fact you see Jesus breaking the social constraints of his day when he touches a leper or speaks to a woman directly; especially a Samaritan woman. Jews and Samaritans hated each other. He never rejected a rich man or a poor man. He even went so far as to set a child in their midst and say that we must have faith like that of a child.
My point is simply this: this life is too short to allow a corrupt society to dictate to me who I should let into my life. Those of you who know me well should know that I give my heart away quickly. I have often had it stomped on and discarded, yet I see nothing in scripture that tells me to guard my heart by keeping it from others. Scripture tells me to guard it from harmful influences that will hinder it from receiving what God has planned for me. When we base our acceptance or rejection of people based on standards other than the example of Jesus, we do wrong. And that, my friends, separates us from following Christ and the good life He wants us to have.
