The Pursuit

We spend much our time looking for something we believe that is missing. Endless pursuits to acheive one thing: personal happiness. Running from one realtionship to another in search of the perfect person to complete us. We want to be thinner, taller, leaner, more educated, have pretty teeth, better hair, dress cool, and on and on the list goes. Looking for that one thing that will make life better. Sadly, when we get that one thing, we discover that it does not produce the result we desired and so the pursuit begins again.

I believe that I live in the most consumer driven society in the world. People spend money for the most stupid things. Things that they will never use and will soon disgard. Things that are the rave now, will be tomorrows yard sale fodder. Is there no end to our never ending appetite for more?

So, what is the problem? What is it that causes people to pursue their lusts? Lust has been too narrowly defined to sex. The truth is lust (envy-greed)is the problem with our culture. Lust has one objective: please me. It rarely takes into consideration the ramifications its pursuit and apprehension of the desired goal will bring about. Lust is only interested in one thing: self gratification. It does not think about anything or anyone else but self.

Because of lust, a couple engages in sex and then is surprised that a pregnancy has occured. Well shazam! How do people think people get into this world? You have sex and are shocked when the EPT glows positive?

Lust pushes us to go to the movies every week and to dine at teh best restaurnats. It pushes us to drive the best cars and wear the nicest clothes. Then we are shocked when the house is foreclosed and the bank account is overdrawn. Hello?? You slap it all down on the platic, but eventually the bill has got to be paid. Lust didn't think about that.

So many find themsleves swirling around the bowl. Wondering how did this happen? Why is this happening? It is time to come to the realization that you want out of it. You do not want to continue in this cycle of endless stupidity. It has only one end result--Your demise. The complete and utter destruction of your soul. That intangible immortal, eternal part of you that was created for so much more than this lust driven culture. It is time to stop thinking about self and gratifying lust. It is time to live life as it was meant to be lived.

So, what can you do to break the stupidity cycle?
1. Understand that you cannot change the world--but you can change yourself. This is key to impacting culture. If everyone would just assume personal responsibility.

2. Think about the long term implications rather than the short term gratification. Consider all of the possibilities of your actions. Just don;t react to your impulses and go with the flow. That river leads to nowhere.

3. Understand that your actions impact and influence others. the chain smoker feels that he/she isn't hurting anyone. It is their perosnal right! What about the affects of second hand smoke? What about the results of cancer? Doctors are now involed, technicans in the labs, medical transmportation, pharmacists, and family members coming to the hospital to visit and deal with the affects of smoking. Then if the smoker does, the funeral home is involved, grave diggers, grieving loved ones. Your actions will affect someone else. Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself". Think of the bigger picture.

The world is not perfect and neither are the people in it. God does not expect perfection from us, He expects us to be people. People with warts and short comings. Will we ever get it together? Who knows. The key is to keep striving for the best. So, make that your priority everyday--to be the best me that I can be. And if we all can do that, then maybe, just maybe, we can make the world a better place.