Man’s inhumanity to man
Man after the fall inherited the disobedience of Adam. His heart pulsates with sin and wrongdoing. He is depraved and will either be saved or damned according to the Sovereign Will of God.
Atrocities inflicted by man to a fellow human being are never a rare occurrence in everyday life. The first sin of murder was committed by a man against his own brother. Esau hated his brother Jacob; Joseph was sold and almost killed by his eleven brothers.
Parents and children are not free from internal conflicts. Abuse and bitter rows exist right within the home.
Children become resentful, disrespectful, ungrateful, and disobedient…while there are those that continue to love and respect their parents in spite of unavoidable family disagreements and disharmony, there are the Cain types who become the black sheep or crosses on the shoulder and thorns in the flesh…
When the thrill is gone
There are instances in life when man finds excitement, exhilaration and challenge in everything that is new. In relationships like friendships and love and romance, in meeting new people, in handling new jobs and businesses, in venturing in new careers and fields of interest, one is throbbing with wonder and adventure in exploring this new experience.
He relishes the action and the kicks and the perks, and enthusiasm is at its peak. The whole process itself keeps the person going.
But some things in life come to an end. Certain levels have to be reached. Whether in mid or at the zenith, oftentimes the verve and vivacity will wear off, the element of thrill and excitement is gone, and what used to be wonderfully new becomes dull, commonplace, mediocre. (This is with the exception of situations when one becomes a failure in reaching his goal, which is an altogether another story.)
Pursuing or courting a woman by a man in love, befriending or “wooing” a newcomer in a church, starting on a new career or business venture, all these entail passion and earnestness. But when one finally gets his valued dream, or successfully attains his purpose or gets accustomed to what was once unfamiliar but palatable, things begin to change…for the better or for the worse. EITHER he continues to love and cherishes and nurtures the person, the object, or the experience …or he gets disenchanted, turns cold, finds them boring, and takes them for granted.
Pathetic
This pathetic emotion called misplaced love, idolatrous love, hopeless fascination, foolish fixation…
It creeps over you like cancer. It is a malady of the heart that cripples your sense of judgment, leads you astray, warps your logic, blinds your eyes to the hard fact that the idol you relentlessly pursue has feet of clay, isn’t as brilliant and grand and sublime and spectacular and adorable as you stupidly think…because just like you and anyone else he is marred with physical and character imperfections; a fallible man that came from the dust.
It is a malady of the heart called sin.
And so this pathetic emotion doesn’t give you peace. It pricks your conscience; it deprives you of a healthy spiritual life and an intimate relationship with your God. You very well know it’s an exercise in futility and unrighteousness but your foolish heart is humanly unconquerable. You are wavering between disillusionment and holding on to the false god of your dreams.
And so a piece of sanity and fear of God He mercifully left in you dictates that you destroy that temple you have built for that silly idol of your imagination. The cracks have begun to show and so you will have to finish tearing it down.
It will take time and tears and strength and obedience but most of all it will only be achieved by the merciful and awesome grace of God…
