This morning, on the drive to drop off my boys at school, from the back seat came the question, "If you could go back in time, would you?". My initial thought was, yes. Things seemed a lot easier "back then", whenever it was...as a kid I suppose. But, as I thought about it, I thought otherwise. I wouldn't change anything.
Now I haven't lost a spouse or child to cancer. I am employed at a job I like. I have (or at least the bank does) have a home. I have a decent grasp on my position in the universe. And there are many shoes I haven't walked in. But, life as I know it—I would not go back for a redo.
Okay, so life for me is decent enough for no redoing. But there are plenty of places where the course of life demands perspective and foundation. And these perspectives, or standards, determine our life joy, and well being. But what perspective—or who's standards do we validate our life?
Over the course of my 43 young years there have been many:
But it is God's standards that are the only that matter. I so often lose sight of this. And, not so amazingly enough, when I do, I struggle. Boy, do I struggle. I become very judgmental, pious, a know-it-all, a gossip, unforgiving, a regular a-hole. And not a very good example to my boys and anyone else.
Regarding God's standards, when Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment (read standard) in Matthew 22:36-40, he replies, "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
By "hang on these two commandments" I believe he means that the list above, or any additions, becomes moot. If we can focus on God's standards outlined by Jesus. The rest should take care of itself. And our answer to the time travel question should be "of course not."
Now I haven't lost a spouse or child to cancer. I am employed at a job I like. I have (or at least the bank does) have a home. I have a decent grasp on my position in the universe. And there are many shoes I haven't walked in. But, life as I know it—I would not go back for a redo.
Okay, so life for me is decent enough for no redoing. But there are plenty of places where the course of life demands perspective and foundation. And these perspectives, or standards, determine our life joy, and well being. But what perspective—or who's standards do we validate our life?
Over the course of my 43 young years there have been many:
- My Dad's
- My Mom's
- My Teacher's
- My Friend's
- My Peer's
- My Culture's
- My Employer's
- My Professional Peer's
- My Kids'
But it is God's standards that are the only that matter. I so often lose sight of this. And, not so amazingly enough, when I do, I struggle. Boy, do I struggle. I become very judgmental, pious, a know-it-all, a gossip, unforgiving, a regular a-hole. And not a very good example to my boys and anyone else.
Regarding God's standards, when Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment (read standard) in Matthew 22:36-40, he replies, "...Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
By "hang on these two commandments" I believe he means that the list above, or any additions, becomes moot. If we can focus on God's standards outlined by Jesus. The rest should take care of itself. And our answer to the time travel question should be "of course not."