Anxious Times
We live in strange times. All weeklong we've been reminded about the uncertainties of life the runaway bride in GA Social Security reform insurgents in Iraq bombs in New York City. Truly we live in dangerous times.
While I was thinking about all that, I ran across an article that has been floating around the Internet in various forms for years. Although it is sometimes said to be anonymous, other sources indicate that George Carlin wrote it after the death of his wife. But that is not true! It was written by Dr. Bob Moorehead: minister, author, and former pastor of Overlake Christian Church in Redmond, Washington (near Seattle). It was later published in his 1995 book, WORDS APTLY SPOKEN.
"The Paradox of Our Time"
We have taller buildings but shorter tempers; wider freeways but narrower viewpoints; we spend more but have less; we buy more but enjoy it less; we have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgement; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much; smoke too much; spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast; get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values; we fly in faster planes to arrive there quicker, to do less and return sooner; we sign more contracts only to realize fewer profits; we talk too much; love too seldom and lie too often. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've added years to life, not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We've conquered outer space, but not inner space; we've done larger things, but not better things; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we've split the atom, but not our prejudice; we write more, but learn less; plan more, but accomplish less; we make faster planes, but longer lines; we learned to rush, but not to wait; we have more weapons, but less peace; higher incomes, but lower morals; more parties, but less fun; more food, but less appeasement; more acquaintances, but fewer friends; more effort, but less success. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; drive smaller cars that have bigger problems; build larger factories that produce less. We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.
These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, but short character; steep in profits, but shallow relationships. These are times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure and less fun; higher postage, but slower mail; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorces; these are times of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, cartridge living, throw-away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies and pills that do everything from cheer, to prevent, quiet or kill. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stock room. Indeed, these are the times!
Every part of that seems very true, but I was especially intrigued by one sentence: "We've conquered outer space, but not inner space." We've sent men to the moon, we routinely place satellites in orbit around our world, and even send probes to the other worlds and the edge of our galaxy, but inner space is another problem. We're not even close to conquering that. The human heart seems as unruly as ever. Perhaps, we need to revisit the prayer of David in Psalm 139:23-24, after all, it is only God who can tame this heart of mine.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
