Love of World

The apostle John writes, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (John 2:15) I’ve never thought of myself as materialistic, but I sometimes worry that I appreciate some things of this world a bit too much. As I contemplate this weakness, it occurs to me that most of what I love best was made by God.
         Skies so blue they hurt my eyes or dotted with hundreds of stars in the evening; the sun setting like a glowing orange ball; purple mountains draped in wisps of smoke; the white-tipped blues and greens of the sea rushing to shore. Family, friends, food, and babies of all kinds—human or animal; the laughter of a loved one. Interesting, isn’t it, that with all our technology, mankind cannot rival any of these in our creations?
           I’d like to think that things of the world, as referenced by John, don’t include the beauties of nature but only the worldly desires like lust and pride, a different definition of “world” altogether. Maybe I’m trying to feel better about myself, or about the world we inhabit. Sure, there’s plenty to mourn as well… suffering and poverty, politics and war, the priorities we humans place on fame and wealth, on stars of sports and Hollywood.
           On balance, I prefer to focus on the positives as long as I can. I know that, with aging, we must face the loss of loved ones, the increasing numbers of aches and pains, of illnesses from which we can recover and those from which we cannot.
           But I do not want to invite trouble before it arrives at my door. “Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Matthew 6:34)
If you haven’t watched the TV series, The Chosen, I recommend it. I watched the final three episodes of season 5, “The Last Supper,” over Easter weekend in a theater with a large screen. Well worthwhile.