I am presently reading a book called The Mattering Instinct, by Rebecca Goldstein. According to the author, we all need to know that our lives "matter," that it is worth the energy it takes to maintain our lives. Goldstein holds that it has nothing to do with how we feel about ourselves --- rather, we need external evidence that our lives matter. And her book goes into the four principle ways that we strive to "matter" in this life: the transcenders, the heroic strivers, the competitors, and the socializers.
Although I am just a little way into the book, I am finding her theory fascinating, and I have asked myself how we know that our lives matter to God. Is there external evidence that God cares about us, in addition to the internal peace and joy that comes with knowing Jesus Christ: ("My peace I give to you; I do not give as the world gives.")?
As I thought about this question, I realized that of all the religious gurus and teachers in the history of mankind, Jesus is the only one who came with consistent healing along with his teaching. He was always reaching out to the blind, the lame, the leper, the widow, the poor in spirit --- anyone who asked of Him. God cares not only about our spiritual progress, the state of our souls, but also about our physical lives and conditions.
The church He established has founded hospitals, orphanages, schools and universities, homeless centers, soup kitchens, etc. Wherever there are Christians, there is help. Our lives matter to God; anyone who has ever read the first few chapters of Isaiah cannot help but be shocked at God's outrage against people who ignore the suffering of others. He does not say, "Close your eyes and concentrate on your spiritual welfare." He says:
Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean...Stop doing wrong and learn to do right! Seek justice; encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow....(Is.1).
He has no taste for the religious ceremonies and sacrifices of those who oppress the poor and suffering --- all of the Old Testament testifies to His anger at injustice. I have a friend who for years railed at the "angry God" of the Old Testament. This friend is a loveable but volatile personality, so once I remarked to her: Cheryl, when someone hurts your children, you become the God of the Old Testament!" She had to admit I was right!
Recently, I have begun to watch It's a Miracle, an old tv program with Richard Thomas. When you hear and see what God does/ has done again and again for those who are suffering and desperate, it leave little doubt that He cares about our lives. Miracles still happen every day; the fact that we don't know about them does not change the fact that they still occur.
The mercy and goodness of Our Father continues through the same ministry of Jesus Christ in the world today. Not only our souls, but our lives matter to God!
No comments:
Post a Comment