I was just thinking about - - -
The political world brings out both the best and the worst. There are the “talking points” and “spin” with which we are all too familiar. There is the image that is projected and the makeover of public appearance and proclamation. It becomes difficult at times to separate the real from the unreal. Plato was one of three philosophers who had an early influence on thought and how one arrives at conclusions (Socrates and Aristotle were the others). However, in his quest to discover the Real – important virtues and realities such as: goodness, beauty, equality, bigness, likeness, unity, being, sameness, difference, change, and changelessness – he would have times when he despaired because of the evasiveness of the Real and the prominence of the Unreal (a mere shadow of the Real and True).
On today’s Wall Street Journal Editorial Page, Peggy Noonan writes about the life and death of Tim Russert. She reflects regarding the Memorial Service and remarks that were offered, and concludes: “In a way, the world is a great liar. It shows you it worships and admires money, but at the end of the day it doesn't. It says it adores fame and celebrity, but it doesn't, not really. The world admires, and wants to hold on to, and not lose, goodness. It admires virtue. At the end it gives its greatest tributes to generosity, honesty, courage, mercy, talents well used, talents that, brought into the world, make it better. That's what it really admires. That's what we talk about in eulogies, because that's what's important. We don't say, "The thing about Joe was he was rich." We say, if we can, "The thing about Joe was he took care of people."…The young are told, "Be true to yourself." But so many of them have no idea, really, what that means. If they don't know who they are, what are they being true to? They're told, "The key is to hold firm to your ideals." But what if no one bothered, really, to teach them ideals?”
In Colossians 3:1 through 17, there is statement made to seek The Real – “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” This is followed by a long check-list by which one can differentiate between that which is Real in terms of the values the Lord Himself has established, followed by that which is Unreal, namely, the things a Carnal World would like to have us substitute for The Real. The Unreal is to be avoided and put away and The Real is to be sought, embraced, and applied.
Peggy Noonan makes a great point – it is difficult to find the values that matter modeled for us. Too many are caught up in the Unreal Values that they lose sight of what matters most. I think it was a Pennsylvania Dutch saying that went something like – “The busier I am the behinder I get!” The idea is that the temporary and temporal supersede the permanent and eternal. Our culture has taught us to be self-centered and self-indulgent – and – we have bought into that concept of life. Peggy Noonan noted in this regard: “…the things you actually need to live life well, and without which it won't be good. Among them: taking care of those you love and letting them know they're loved, which involves self-sacrifice; holding firm to God, to your religious faith, no matter how high you rise or low you fall. This involves guts, and self-discipline, and active attention to developing and refining a conscience to whose promptings you can respond. Honoring your calling or profession by trying to do within it honorable work, which takes hard effort, and a willingness to master the ethics of your field. And enjoying life.” She’s on point and the right track!
Think about this with me - - -
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