Contrasting Treasures of the Heart
People act as they do because deep down they believe their lives depend on it.
Have you noticed the political divide in our country right now is fairly even and fairly stable?
What I mean is that we don’t see a lot of defectors crossing lines in either direction. Also it seems the undecided middle is quite small. Everyone has, it appears, a strong opinion, and neither side is particularly nuanced.
In fact the two sides believe strongly that those on the other side are either dolts or devils.
I’m not here to talk you out of your political position. In fact, I do not believe it is within my power to do so. However, I would like to make a few observations.
When what I believe is so entrenched that I am willing to go to prison or worse for my beliefs, then I would say I believe with a passion beyond logic. It is a passion of the heart.
Those who are not choosing to take a side but willing to side with the winner, thinking this a clever survival move, are sociopaths. They are neither hot nor cold, but care only for themselves. When times get tough these will show their true colors.
This leaves us to consider the sincere on both sides. They are not different in passion level only in what they are passionate about.
One side will defend even those exposed in corruption. Why? Because they believe achieving their vision of Utopia will be worth it. This is the end-justifies-the-means crowd
The other side will not defend corruption but will stand for principles unpopular to the other side - like right to life and the right to bear arms. Why? Because they believe in a different end-time picture. Instead of man achieving a perfect society, they believe God will usher in a new Kingdom where all men will live in harmony under God’s rule. This is the ends-are-shaped-by-the-means crowd.
The difference between the two, I believe, is tied to what they believe will give them life.
The Utopia folks believe their side will provide the physical things they both want and need for a happy fulfilled life here on earth.
The heavenly minded have a longer runway and, for them, even if they lose it all in this life, they believe it will be worth it in the next - because that’s where their treasure is.
[Jesus speaking]
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)
Thanks to those who found my typos on this post.
Never feel like you need to send this to me alone. I think it's useful and frankly fun to pick up these sorts of things.
The first one I found myself. Keep in mind if you receive my posts by email, I can't go back and correct your version but I can and will correct the one that will sit on the website.
"Hear" versus "here." That was just a typo.
"Bare" versus "bear." That one I had to look up. Bare always means stripped down or naked. So if you "bare arms" I suppose this means you are wearing a short sleeve shirt -- by golly we have a right to bare arms if we want! To carry is "to bear." It is also a furry animal. How these two are connected, is an interesting question and I have no clue as to the answer.