What really matters?
29/5/2003
Once upon time, a teacher sat before his
disciples with some items in front of him. After a period of
silence, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty water jar
and proceeded to fill it with rocks, rocks about five centimeters in
diameter. He then asked the disciples if the jar was full? They
agreed that it was.
The master then picked up a bag of pebbles and
poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles
rolled into the open spaces between the rocks. Again he asked the
disciples if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
Next the teacher picked up a bag of sand and
poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the remaining
spaces. He then asked once more if the jar was full. The disciples
responded with a unanimous yes.
The teacher then produced a container of wine
and proceeded to pour its entire contents into the jar – effectively
filling the empty space between the sand. The disciples expressed
amusement.
“Now,” said the teacher, as silence was
restored, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your
life. The rocks are the important things - your family,
your parents, your spouse, your children, your
health. If everything else was lost and only they remained,
your life would still be full. The pebbles are other things that
matter, like your job, your house, your horse and so on. The sand
represents the trifles, the small stuff. If you put the sand in the
jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the
rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and
energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things
that are important.
Pay attention to the things that are critical
to your growth [according to God’s will and plan for you]. Pay more
attention to your wife
and children’s welfare. Be a good neighbor to everyone [Samaritan,
Luke 10: 29-37]. Look after the poor and needy. There will always be
time to go to work, clean the house, give banquets and fix the
disposal. And don’t let you mind wander. It is too little to be left
alone. Take care of the rocks first – the things that really
matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”
One of the disciples raised his hand and
inquired about the wine. The teacher smiled. “I am glad you asked.
It shows you that, no matter how full your life may seem, there’s
always room for the Holy Spirit, for God’s life and joy.
If, even after you set your priorities
straight, God is still not part of your life, you will always be
empty spiritually. This passage from Luke’s Gospel says it well:
When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places
seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to
the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean
and put in order. Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more
wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final
condition of that man is worse than the first.” (Luke 11:24-26)
In the Christian context, setting priorities
means God must take the first place in your life, or better still,
He becomes the center of your whole life.
“Nature abhors a vacuum.”
[Rabelais - sixteenth century] How thoughtful and wise is this
axiom. Rabelais said it, Jesus said it, and many others many times
over. However, we are slow and hard to understand because we are
taught that material things, happiness, self-gratification and so
on, are what really matter for a good life.
There is a lot spoken and written about
depression and suicide today. In this field, there are many experts
who seemingly have much to say on the subject. Often, however, their
empty talk creates even more questions. They are like the blind
leading the blind.
“If you put the sand into the jar first,
there is no room for pebbles or rocks,” the teacher said. In
other words, “you are completely spoiling your life, if family is
not important to you, or you do what pleases you most in your life,
because you are told that ‘suffering
is evil’’, or because you try to develop your self-esteem as the
experts say you should.
Put God first in your life, otherwise as Jesus
says “the final condition of that man is worse than the first”.
Here is some food for thought:
Thoughts lead to good acts,
Acts lead to good habits,
Habits lead to excellent character,
And our character will determine our eternal
destiny.
Finally what about love? ‘Greater love has
no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends,’
[John 15:13]. As a wise person once said: Love is the game that two
can play and both can win. How true!!
Shalom
