When asked the question "How you livin'?", I once had to answer "in mansions and Benz, given ends to my friends and it feels stupendous." When I had to answer that question I was told how to respond because I was rushing a social club, so it was not a real world answer that I gave, but it came from a real world answer some people do give. The quote actually came from a rap video, however I do not know which one.
It is interesting for me to think back to that rushing experience, because I essentially lived a week of my life through someone else's directing, and yet it was acceptable. But now that I reflect on it, years past, I can't help but think about other situations I come across where my life is directed by yet another [human], such as school or work. We are positioned under someone else who has the power of doing something to their liking, so we at times find ourselves doing something that we may not even agree with. Simple, but we expect that kind of directing from others because it is our job and we have a boss, right? But take this as another example...we have the option of living our daily life by the directing of Jesus. We can be plugged in to the needs of others; we can be so far outside of ourselves that we can't do anything but ask for God's direction because we know we can't do it any other way.
But what are we to do when the worldly system [school, work, etc] has us do something that interferes with Jesus' directing. I struggle with that question because we tend to place so much importance on a job or education, after-all it does provide us with our way of life, income and knowledge base, but where is the fine line of distinguishing what we need to do for a job versus what we need to do for Christ? I mean are we actually at the point where we do things for our workplaces for the money? The question takes us to another question which is "do we work to live, or live to work?" I feel that living to work would put us in the cycle and temptations of greed, always doing more work and spending more time just to acquire more things and live more comfortably.
Or we can just ignore His directing and keep up with the Jones' in our mansions and Benz. Being in Guatemala gives you the 'in your face' reality that you need to work to live (obviously), but it also helps you learn about what you're working for. Traditionally speaking, Guatemalans don't work to keep up with the Jones'. They work simply to live, and they barely get-by doing it, through tremendously hard labor and low-reward type positions. It amazes me to see the work ethic that it takes to 'work to live', because they aren't even trying to think of ways to 'live to work'...they know there's more to life than that.
I hope to better learn those ways...attitudes...as we continue to live here...working.
For entertainment purposes, here's a music video that I can remember watching and 'really liking' way back while I was in high school student.
But what are we to do when the worldly system [school, work, etc] has us do something that interferes with Jesus' directing. I struggle with that question because we tend to place so much importance on a job or education, after-all it does provide us with our way of life, income and knowledge base, but where is the fine line of distinguishing what we need to do for a job versus what we need to do for Christ? I mean are we actually at the point where we do things for our workplaces for the money? The question takes us to another question which is "do we work to live, or live to work?" I feel that living to work would put us in the cycle and temptations of greed, always doing more work and spending more time just to acquire more things and live more comfortably.
Or we can just ignore His directing and keep up with the Jones' in our mansions and Benz. Being in Guatemala gives you the 'in your face' reality that you need to work to live (obviously), but it also helps you learn about what you're working for. Traditionally speaking, Guatemalans don't work to keep up with the Jones'. They work simply to live, and they barely get-by doing it, through tremendously hard labor and low-reward type positions. It amazes me to see the work ethic that it takes to 'work to live', because they aren't even trying to think of ways to 'live to work'...they know there's more to life than that.
For entertainment purposes, here's a music video that I can remember watching and 'really liking' way back while I was in high school student.
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