a few comments on excess
Our world is one of excess. It will always be, I suppose. People trying to fill up the holes in their souls with a ridiculous amount of food, alcohol, sex, money, people, job...pick your poison. (These things can all be good things...in moderation, of course. The issue here is EXCESS.) Why is it so hard to give up all the excessive crap? People talk about how they don't have time to get together with their families and friends. So what are we spending some much of our time doing??? Overeating...working overtime so we can have more spending money...taking that extra income and going shopping for furniture to fill up our oversized houses, for knick knacks to clutter up our shelves, and for shower gifts for acquaintances we barely know. All of it drains us of energy and time for God and our families and friends. As I read in another article online, all the aforementioned items are comparable to the enchanted, delectable dessert of Turkish Delight mentioned in the first Narnian Chronicle.
"Each piece [of Turkish Delight] was sweet and light to the very centre and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious....soon he thought only of trying to shovel down as much Turkish Delight as he could, and the more he ate the more he wanted to eat....At last the Turkish Delight was all finished and Edmund was looking very hard at the empty box and wishing that [the White Witch] would ask him whether he would like some more....she knew, though Edmund did not, that this was enchanted Turkish Delight and that anyone who had once tasted it would want more and more of it, and would even, if they were allowed, go on eating it till they killed themselves."
And people eat too much...because it tastes so good.
And they work too much...because the paycheck is so big.
And they drink too much...because it numbs the pain.
And they buy too much...because it makes them feel powerful.
All to fill a void that cannot be filled, will never be filled, on this earth.
So they go on eating the Turkish Delight until they kill themselves.
If not physically, then at least -- and much worse, in my opinion -- spiritually.
When we will get it through our thick skulls that true joy is found only in relationship with God and other living beings?
"Each piece [of Turkish Delight] was sweet and light to the very centre and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious....soon he thought only of trying to shovel down as much Turkish Delight as he could, and the more he ate the more he wanted to eat....At last the Turkish Delight was all finished and Edmund was looking very hard at the empty box and wishing that [the White Witch] would ask him whether he would like some more....she knew, though Edmund did not, that this was enchanted Turkish Delight and that anyone who had once tasted it would want more and more of it, and would even, if they were allowed, go on eating it till they killed themselves."
And people eat too much...because it tastes so good.
And they work too much...because the paycheck is so big.
And they drink too much...because it numbs the pain.
And they buy too much...because it makes them feel powerful.
All to fill a void that cannot be filled, will never be filled, on this earth.
So they go on eating the Turkish Delight until they kill themselves.
If not physically, then at least -- and much worse, in my opinion -- spiritually.
When we will get it through our thick skulls that true joy is found only in relationship with God and other living beings?
posted by Jana at 6:09 PM
5 Comments:
Great message, Jana. And good analogy with the Turkish Delight. : )
Cheers! : )
Our preacher spoke of this exact thing Sunday. He said that these things are temporary pleasures that will all come to an end. Jesus is the answer. Sad that so many people choose not to recognize that. Thanks for your thoughts!
Apologies for sounding cynical, but I doubt "we" ever will. As you stated, it happened in the past and it will continue to happen. Individuals learn, of course, but even when we're taught this, sometimes it takes going through excess and coming up empty to realize the truth.
And I blog too much looking for that post that will speak to my soul or my heart. Balance is so good and yet so hard to achieve!
I loved the Narnia Chronicles, yet I had completely forgotten about the Turkish Delight, the metaphor for so many things. Maybe even for the Pachelbell I'm addictively listening to.
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