Friday, July 3, 2009

The Consolationless Consolation Prize

We read in II Kings 13:18-19 that when Joash, the king of Israel, came to Elisha he was asked, in part, to strike the ground with some arrows. Joash did so three times, but Elisha was angry with him because he had not struck the ground five or six times. Elisha prophesied that as a result of his striking the ground only three times Joash would defeat Syria three times, but not utterly defeat them.

Though it isn't obvious that Joash did anything wrong, it is apparent Elisha detected an unwillingness on Joash's part to persist to the complete defeat of Syria. The lesson seems to be that a desire to alleviate the effects of error only to some convenient degree is not sufficient or wise. Error, false belief, must be pursued until its total nothingness is seen and demonstrated. Anything less only allows for error's resurgence, and in perhaps more virulent forms.

Even though our primary motive for prayer, study, and growth in understanding may be to mitigate mortal mind's aggressive suggestions, we must not make the mistake of easing up prematurely in our work to totally destroy error. False belief incompletely handled and annihilated may be subtly tolerated and hence nurtured. If we decide to put our hands to the plow we must resolve never to slacken our effort until the victory is complete or even indulge in a quick backward glance. Joash was apparently willing only to kick the can up the road a ways and leave it in the first drainage ditch into which it rolled inconveniently. We know where this kind of unprincipled, self-gratifying, and cowardly approach to things has gotten the U.S. politically and financially. We can't afford to indulge the same follies in our dealings with mortal mind.

It might seem naively quixotic to be pursuing the Adversary to its final destruction in an age when a dotty governor is hoping to conjure up some demented menage a trois with his Argentinian soul mate and his now inconvenient wife. That goofiness makes one look back almost fondly to those happy days when we were only asked to ponder, with a straight face, what the meaning of is is. Either we resolve to follow Christ in the Way all the way and sedulously do it, or we don't. There are no silver and bronze medals for well-intentioned lollygagging or the aimless ciliations of a paramecium. A self-indulgent fondness for human weaknesses and foibles only adds to our indebtedness to God and delays the ultimate realization of spiritual perfection.

21 comments:

Regular visitor said...

Been waiting for your next essay, and this one wonderful. Love it, especially the part, we must follow Christ all the way. Either we are commmitted--or we are not. And woe unto us if we are not.
Thanks!

Florida CS Practitioner said...

Happy 4th of July friend, and I feel you are so, since I read so much of your excellent blog posts.
This one very well done!

Newport Beach, CA said...

Where in the world do you get those words?! There are two I have never run across. I feel I'm getting an education just reading your website.
This is very well put together, and I thank you.

G. T. said...

A solid blog entry. Strong CS metaphysics. Should be helpful to many of your readers.
Glad you're blogging.

Boston, MA said...

Such a talented writer. And spiritual insights so worth thinking about.
God bless you and keep you blogging for us!

Helen said...

Thanks, blogger, for another very fine offering. This website is not for dummies for sure. You've probably sent more than a few to the old dictionary for enlightenment.
Keep it up...

Anonymous said...

Like the way you think and express your thoughts. You are obviously a serious student of Christian Science, and of the Bible.
Thanks for sharing with us, always helpful to me.

Hello from NH said...

Appreciate your original, creative blog posts. Always cause me to ponder metaphysics more deeply, and for this I thank you.

Grateful from Arkansas said...

A very catchy title. In fact, the entire piece is extremely well thought out and crafted. But them, yours always are.
Do keep 'em coming.

London (UK) said...

Really like your postings. Get a lot from them; you make me think and for this I say, thanks.

Anon, for now said...

An interesting blog post on an Old Testament character, one I wasn't too familiar with. Thanks for a worthwile read!

T.W. - d.c. said...

I think the Founder of Christian Science, Eddy, says somewhere doesn't she something to this effect: "of the more excellent sort"? Anyway, this describes your website to me.
Thanks, and God bless.

Bill, Oklahoma said...

I take the periodicals, though I'm wondering why I do. Wish they contained writing like you do!
Thanks,

A regular reader of your website said...

You probably are not aware of how much you are blessing your readers. Thank God for the Internet, I say!

Nameless...(Boston) said...

Really like the way you dig into your topic, not just give your readers some fluffy statement of truth they scarcely have to even think about--much less carry out!
Appreciate what you are doing, blogger.

Cambridge said...

You make an excellent point in this essay about not easing up on our work prematurely. How often I've made this mistake, but I am making progress, I feel.
Good job!

Mark W. said...

Wouldn't miss your blog for the world. So professionally done, refreshing when we see the average CS writing out here.
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

N.B. Blogger,
You are proof that one can be a serious student of our Leader's writings, and a deep thinker--unlike many CS's I know.
Best,

Wisconsin CS said...

Extremely well done, author. You cause me to ponder CS truths you present, and I think this is all to the good.
I do thank you,

Impressed said...

I can see why my friend recommended your website. So well expressed, and worth my time reading. Will check you out in future.
Best wishes,

D.L. said...

Your excellent blog post calls to my thought something our Leader writes in her article in Prose Works, "Fidelity": The weeds of mortal mind are not always destroyed by the first uprooting; they reappear, like devastating witch-grass, to choke the coming clover. O stupid gardener! watch their reappearing,and tear them away from their native soil, until no seedling be left to propagate--and rot."