The Tower of Babel story provides some interesting lessons. Society was of
a single language and so sure of its righteousness, superiority, it was decided to challenge God. They came together on the plain of Shinar and
began constructing a great city, a testament to man’s, not God’s greatness. At
the heart of the city was a massive tower. The tower was constructed of “bricks like
stone” and was being built not only to last, but to reach Heaven itself.
God, in His infinite wisdom and love, chose to instruct rather than destroy, so He scrambled their language, making it impossible for them to
continue working together, fear scattering them to the four winds leaving the
tower and great city unfinished. Now, hubris aside, what else does this lesson
teach?
Consider the moments throughout history when society has come together in
secular (though very often attempting to wrap it in God) common cause. The
resulting purges, revolutions, crusades, jihads, wars and persecutions have led to,
arguably, more death and destruction than all “natural” disasters combined. An
argument can be made some of these things happened to stop or address a
greater evil, if arms were not taken up a greater injustice would have
taken place, but I will leave that determination in hands wiser than mine.
Even so, clearly man has been employing the same secular answers and reaping the same results since the days of
Shinar. War has yet to stamp out war; Persecution leading only to new
generations of persecutors and victims; Prejudice, of all stripes, teaching
another generation to prejudge, to marginalize.The truth is:
We cannot get sick enough to
cure one person. No amount of hate will ever create love or understanding. We
cannot get poor enough either spiritually or materially to help those in
need.
Living on the Spiritual Basis, speaking the shared language of the heart, takes a
different tack, that of living on the basis of trusting and relying on
God. Does this mean we bury our heads in the sand, oblivious to this world’s
realities? To leave our homes unlocked, our children unprotected, offering our
neck to any who would threaten us? Ignoring our responsibilities as citizens? Without equivocation, of course not. Living on the Spiritual Basis has nothing
to do with a Polly Anna approach to living; in fact, it is the opposite. It is
not the way of weakness, but is in fact the only true path of strength. The
Great Carpenter said
the meek shall inherit the Earth, being meek before
God is to honor
Our Father, it does not mean we become servile,
scrapping or willing victims.
Living on the Spiritual Basis, standing in the light, the world needs what
you have to offer, in truth Practicing the Presence of God demands it.
The truth will set you free, so we wear our faith as a loose garment, but wear
it all our days, demonstrating it in all our ways, the one true
Adversary, the author of all strife and destruction, fear, be damned.
© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit
All Rights Reserved
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