I watched a video recently. You can watch it here:
In the video, some surfers are complaining about a barrier in the ocean. They’d travelled for a once in a lifetime surf trip and a barrier was keeping them from being able to surf the big waves.
As they were complaining, an older surfer walked up and let them use his binoculars. Through the binoculars, just beyond the barrier, the young surfers could see a feeding frenzy. Sharks were just beyond the barrier.
What seemed like the worst thing in the world quickly turned into a great protection and a great blessing.
How often do we look at life as though through a murky glass? If we only had binoculars, or could see and understand the bigger picture, the way God sees things, how differently this world would look.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
I think back on my teenage years. I wasn’t the most rebellious teenager. I was far from the most obedient. I pushed boundaries. I experimented with what I thought would bring me joy.
As I’m now in my 30s, I realize just how stubborn and rebellious I am. This life is an opportunity for my spirit to prove whether or not I will choose God. I try my best. I realize that I am still just a child. Thinking I know best while God watches and lets me stumble around, making all the mistakes I need to so I eventually develop the humility, faith, and trust He knows I need.
As I consider teenagers today, my heart fears for them. I remember when I thought I needed to drink, try drugs, do all the worldly things or else I would miss out. Or just to feel like I belonged.
I think back on how lucky I was to try these things and escape with my free-will intact. Many are not so lucky.
We look at so many destructive habits and activities from the perspective that they are fun and exciting. They are the big wave. But beneath the big wave are dangers we don’t perceive. Beer commercials always show the party. There is always a picture of abject excitement, freedom, liberation, and joy. What is never shown is what is lurking underneath: addiction, sadness, loneliness, emptiness, fear, doubt, dependance, despair, danger, suffering.
The products of a worldly life are these things. I’ve seen it. We all have. And yet we think we want to be a part of these things, a part of this world.
Thrilling and tantalizing waves.
A feeding frenzy underneath.
Some quotes from that video –
“The Lord’s commands do not constitute some grueling underwater barriers that we must learn to grudgingly endure in this life so that we might be exalted in the next.”
“The Lord’s commandments are given out of love and caring. They are intended for our joy in this life just as much as they are intended for our joy and exaltation in the next.”
There is this worldly perspective that restrictions and the commandments of God take away our freedom. Let me be free! Let me party! Let me eat, drink, and be merry!
“Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.”
-Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse: Dune
We think real freedom is drinking what we want to drink, not realizing we become a slave to that drink.
Real freedom is eating what we want to eat, not realizing we become a slave to our appetites.
Real freedom is going to the party, not realizing we are a slave to the fear of missing out.
We are commanded to avoid things because those things take away our freedom, they do not liberate us.
Real freedom is not being dependent on any substance, food, drug, or activity. Real freedom is discipline.
Why does God give us commandments? Not to restrict us but to protect us. Not to hold us back but to let us fly to our highest potential.
No Coincidences 