“Painkillers”
The painkillers of life don't stop the bleeding, just dull the pain. I thought these words while in the car tonight. Strange how our minds use metaphors to say what we really see. I honestly do not think I am creative enough to come up with things like that. I think this aphorism (for lack of a better word) has some real meaning though. It portrays what everyone seems to feel but never says: the fact that life without purpose is a death really; we are basically living the time away until our physical deaths happen.Life is full of cuts; wounds that are inflicted by the lies society and the world push down our throats. The thing is, no one is safe from them. I can imagine a scene of demons sitting down and conferencing about how to target every field of people, big and small, to give them things that will keep them unawares to the huge gash in their chest engendered of their sin. By our separation from God's worthy presence. I imagine them with a business slogan: “We've got a lie, just for you!!”. There'll be a big ad next with the slogan and the words under it read “Just call 1-666-GET-LIES to sign up for your free* subscription”.
Of course, there would be in small print a line telling them that free* means it costs nothing here, not meaning that you wouldn't have to pay anything. Ironic that is ad is a lie in itself. The world tells us that everything has been solved and now you just have to find “what works for you”. They believe their own crap about the materialistic American Dream or 'finding your own truth' (or yourself), or the being in the right crowd. The idea that this place has what we really need is pathetic, and at times even shallow and selfish. With the way this sticky web has spun thus far, it amazes me anyone finds Jesus at all.
Last spring I spent my first border crossing mission trip in the side streets of Ensenada, out in the hills where those who have little money live in houses made of tarp and wood. After my time in Mexico, it is very hard to accept peoples' attitudes about materialism and that way to happiness. In the United States, we have Starbucks on every corner and mustangs and credit cards. This stuff makes people think that our goal in life should be to get a good education, so you can get a good job, so you can get more stuff. The problem is stuff just becomes more stuff and then it becomes junk and debts, and old cars that go o the dump. It doesn't lead anywhere but to working more so you can pay off the debts and then get more stuff. Eventually the debts are paid and the stuff is spent and all you have is garbage, and that's about what your life ends up being worth. One wise Christian guy I forgot the name of once wrote about how he read an article on a person who had the American Dream.
He had a great life, retired rich, and now spent his time collecting sea shells and golfing and doing art projects. What is great about his commentary is that he thought of what the guy is going to say when he sees Jesus: “Jesus, I may not have followed you, but will you look at my shells?” was what he came up with. If that is what life's painkillers do to people, I don't want any. I not so sure I want to buy into anything that makes me think sea shells and a good retirement will save me.
Don't get me wrong, I love democracy. It's very apparent that it's prosperous and is at the time the best method of practicing equality. But it also breeds a wound of materialism and need for stuff that doesn't get you anywhere but death. This is why people cling to painkillers. They need something that will dull the pain in their scars of life behind the Starbucks and credit cards. People really just want to be healed, but buy painkillers instead. This is why we have drugs and teen sex and alcohol abuse and “cliques” and gangs and stuff. To make us feel better. What is ironic is now politics and religion are being used for this also. You're either a Democrat or a Republican or one of those crazy Green Party people (no offense intended). Or you're “religious”; whatever that means. Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Orthodox, Taoist, you name it- they got it. You are defined by the stereotype of the religion that suits you.
But when I look to the Word and read what Jesus said, I don't hear anything about getting what you want, or feeling good (or the word religious), or finding yourself. All I hear is about how he heals people where their at and loves them and is always there for you. I don't hear about getting a "good education" or getting laid; I hear about feeding the hungry, giving to the poor, loving the unlovable. So far, he's the only one to do anything right and the only one who can heal the scars, stop the bleeding. He doesn't make you feel good, but he gives you love and cherishes us.
What's odd about painkillers in real life are that they are used for people in extreme pain. Spiritually, people use them, get addicted to them, then die from the wounds that they forgot were still there. But God will never do this. He won't sit and watch you die while feeding you false hope and lying to you. He heals you, no questions asked. He's done it for as long as we've been around. It doesn't cost anything, you don't even have to be saved (though usually, people are when healed). Yet people still would rather be fed the crap society tells us will heal us.
We get stuck with the weighty, molasses feelings of guilt. Or the sensation of loss where you feel the "blood" of your soul draining as you remember that day. Or the muscle wrenching spasms of hate and injustice done to me. Or the sleepy daze of sadness that doesn't leave, just gets covered up. It all gets covered up in layers upon layers of stuff, crushing them all the closer to the body, suffocating the wearer.
Hmm.“Painkillers”
The painkillers of life don't stop the bleeding, just dull the pain. I thought these words while in the car tonight. Strange how our minds use metaphors to say what we really see. I honestly do not think I am creative enough to come up with things like that. I think this aphorism (for lack of a better word) has some real meaning though. It portrays what everyone seems to feel but never says: the fact that life without purpose is a death really; we are basically living the time away until our physical deaths happen.
Life is full of cuts; wounds that are inflicted by the lies society and the world push down our throats. The thing is, no one is safe from them. I can imagine a scene of demons sitting down and conferencing about how to target every field of people, big and small, to give them things that will keep them unawares to the huge gash in their chest engendered of their sin. By our separation from God's worthy presence. I imagine them with a business slogan: “We've got a lie, just for you!!”. There'll be a big ad next with the slogan and the words under it read “Just call 1-666-GET-LIES to sign up for your free* subscription”.
Of course, there would be in small print a line telling them that free* means it costs nothing here, not meaning that you wouldn't have to pay anything. Ironic that is ad is a lie in itself. The world tells us that everything has been solved and now you just have to find “what works for you”. They believe their own crap about the materialistic American Dream or 'finding your own truth' (or yourself), or the being in the right crowd. The idea that this place has what we really need is pathetic, and at times even shallow and selfish. With the way this sticky web has spun thus far, it amazes me anyone finds Jesus at all.
Last spring I spent my first border crossing mission trip in the side streets of Ensenada, out in the hills where those who have little money live in houses made of tarp and wood. After my time in Mexico, it is very hard to accept peoples' attitudes about materialism and that way to happiness. In the United States, we have Starbucks on every corner and mustangs and credit cards. This stuff makes people think that our goal in life should be to get a good education, so you can get a good job, so you can get more stuff. The problem is stuff just becomes more stuff and then it becomes junk and debts, and old cars that go o the dump. It doesn't lead anywhere but to working more so you can pay off the debts and then get more stuff. Eventually the debts are paid and the stuff is spent and all you have is garbage, and that's about what your life ends up being worth. One wise Christian guy I forgot the name of once wrote about how he read an article on a person who had the American Dream.
He had a great life, retired rich, and now spent his time collecting sea shells and golfing and doing art projects. What is great about his commentary is that he thought of what the guy is going to say when he sees Jesus: “Jesus, I may not have followed you, but will you look at my shells?” was what he came up with. If that is what life's painkillers do to people, I don't want any. I not so sure I want to buy into anything that makes me think sea shells and a good retirement will save me.
Don't get me wrong, I love democracy. It's very apparent that it's prosperous and is at the time the best method of practicing equality. But it also breeds a wound of materialism and need for stuff that doesn't get you anywhere but death. This is why people cling to painkillers. They need something that will dull the pain in their scars of life behind the Starbucks and credit cards. People really just want to be healed, but buy painkillers instead. This is why we have drugs and teen sex and alcohol abuse and “cliques” and gangs and stuff. To make us feel better. What is ironic is now politics and religion are being used for this also. You're either a Democrat or a Republican or one of those crazy Green Party people (no offense intended). Or you're “religious”; whatever that means. Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Orthodox, Taoist, you name it- they got it. You are defined by the stereotype of the religion that suits you.
But when I look to the Word and read what Jesus said, I don't hear anything about getting what you want, or feeling good (or the word religious), or finding yourself. All I hear is about how he heals people where their at and loves them and is always there for you. I don't hear about getting a "good education" or getting laid; I hear about feeding the hungry, giving to the poor, loving the unlovable. So far, he's the only one to do anything right and the only one who can heal the scars, stop the bleeding. He doesn't make you feel good, but he gives you love and cherishes us.
What's odd about painkillers in real life are that they are used for people in extreme pain. Spiritually, people use them, get addicted to them, then die from the wounds that they forgot were still there. But God will never do this. He won't sit and watch you die while feeding you false hope and lying to you. He heals you, no questions asked. He's done it for as long as we've been around. It doesn't cost anything, you don't even have to be saved (though usually, people are when healed). Yet people still would rather be fed the crap society tells us will heal us.
We get stuck with the weighty, molasses feelings of guilt. Or the sensation of loss where you feel the "blood" of your soul draining as you remember that day. Or the muscle wrenching spasms of hate and injustice done to me. Or the sleepy daze of sadness that doesn't leave, just gets covered up. It all gets covered up in layers upon layers of stuff, crushing them all the closer to the body, suffocating the wearer.
Hmm.
All I wanted was to pull it off in the first place. But then I would have had to look at it. To acknowledge their presence. All of these painkillers tell you its okay, but their empty claims, such as the war buddy telling his mutilated friend that he's “gonna be fine”. Just wait a little longer. Yes, somehow I've let myself believe their crap yet again. Reality only hits me at 11:59, when I realize that all they've done is make me forget that I was still bleeding.
All I wanted was to pull it off in the first place. But then I would have had to look at it. To acknowledge their presence. All of these painkillers tell you its okay, but their empty claims, such as the war buddy telling his mutilated friend that he's “gonna be fine”. Just wait a little longer. Yes, somehow I've let myself believe their crap yet again. Reality only hits me at 11:59, when I realize that all they've done is make me forget that I was still bleeding.
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