Monday, July 13, 2009

Becoming Unimportant in a "Being Busy, Being Important" Society

This was written by Abott Christopher Jamison from his book Finding Happiness. The following excerpt comes from some reflections on the Beatitudes. What do you think about this?

We see that Jesus is speaking about the people who do not participate in the 'being busy being important' culture: the poor in spirit, who know that they are unimportant; the meek, who are by definition not self-important; the peacemakers, who are modest; the pure in heart, who are unassuming. Jesus is describing an alternative culture where nobody is important and everybody has time for those who are insignificant. This is His Kingdom, a place for those who do not fit into the busy culture. One of the core tasks of the church is to be the shadow side of the 'being busy being important' culture: a community of people who are unimportant, and yet who make everybody who comes feel significant. Each of us needs consciously to find ways to lay aside the tendency constantly to 'be busy being important'. We can do this by wasting time creatively, such as playing with our children or by giving time to those who at the material level give nothing back, such as visiting he sick or the lonely. We can do this by wasting time spiritually, spending time in meditation or reading spiritual books. We all know the such 'wasted time' makes us happier than any amount of 'being busy'. The reason is that these are acts of loving kindness that come from a pure heart.

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