Monday, August 30, 2010

A Little Boy's Birthday Party

With unbridled joy he tore into his presents--shouting with particular joy when opening a Bak-u-gon or a Bionical or Legos. Most boys like to build things.

Made me think how something good can be taken to extremes, like man's desire to build the Tower of Babel.

"Come, let us build ourselves a city,
with a tower that reaches to the heavens,
so that we may make a name for ourselves
and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
~ Genesis 11:4

At first glance, one might wonder what's wrong with that building plan. Well, how about this? God's initial blessing to mankind (Adam and Eve) included these words:

"Be fruitful and increase in number;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air
and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
~ Genesis 1:28

From the very beginning, God intended man's role to be great--his was to be a  worldwide presence with dominion over all other creatures. God didn't intend for man to cluster together with the intent of making a name for himself. Rather, God intended for man to go into all the world and take with him the Redemption Story of Genesis 3. Man was to make a name for the coming Messiah who would crush the serpent's head.

Can you think of other worthwhile pursuits that, taken to extremes, eventually run counter to the will of God?

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