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Corinthians and Values

Hello all-

I was listening to the BBC, and heard a man speaking who has a degree in astronomy, but also is a monk, and serves in the Peace Corps, ironically teaching astronomy. He was asked why he continues to teach astronomy, and replied that he gets the same sense of peace and joy studying the stars as when he prays. I thought that was as touching and insightful a way as any other to describe the joy we can and should feel in doing our daily work.

It made me think of Corinthians 13, the famous passage about love. This is often preached on about the love of God, an abstraction, or love between two people, an intimate personalization. What about the relationship of the individual to others and society? Doesn't it apply just as well?

Consider the descriptors in Corinthians (language slightly modernized from the New RSV). Love is patient and kind. It is not envious, boastful, arrogant or rude, nor resentful or irritable. Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but the truth.

If we really apply those values, how happy we would be in our daily relationships. How much happier work would be, if instead of approaching each customer, or client, or patient as an impediment upon which we must impose our will, we approached them with patience and kindness.

Consider the antitheses to these values. What if we are impatient and unkind, envious, rude, boastful, arrogant and irritable. What if we were glad when someone got screwed by others or government, and were happy to lie or distort if it served our purposes.

I am sad to say that these values sound a great deal like both our government and our corporations. While clearly not a biblical literalist, I do feel the Bible contains timeless philosophical advice, which if applied leads to a happier and more peaceful life. How many people are willing to hurt others, lie, distort and get pushy just to advance themselves? How long does it take to realize that there is no long term reward for this behavior? And I'm not talking about 'heaven'- the people who behave this way are hated and despised. Even if they have a great deal of money, they have no companionship, no peace, no happiness.

The Bible does not promise wealth for following its values, but rather spiritual peace and happiness. All the wealth in the world is not worth what that Peace Corps monk astronomer can say- that he feels prayer-like joy in his daily work. I would hope all of us would feel the same.

In the gospel of Thomas, Jesus is asked by his disciples when they should fast, and how they should pray. This question serves as the introduction of the Lord's Prayer in the synoptics, but to a very different and provocative answer in Thomas. The reply is 'do not lie. Do not do what you hate, for there is nothing that will not be revealed under heaven.'

Do so many of us do what we hate, for money, that we can have no joy in doing it? Then we need to be doing something else. As Vince Lombardi said, if you're not fired with enthusiasm, you'll be fired- with enthusiasm.

Ted

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