Producing the Goods

You put the mixture in the oven. She hires that office worker. He plants the seeds. They pay the money for the new player. All with the same desire in mind.  That desire is that the individual will produce the goods.

There is a sense in which we can believe that we are put on the earth with a similar desired outcome. That doesn’t happen, however, if there is no sense in which we are here to produce anything. The pursuit of pleasure, the desire for power, the lust for approval, the need for self-gratification – all of these in some way have subtly been accepted by some as legitimate purposes in life. Unsurprisingly these are largely self-induced with little in the way of wise counsel that leads to constructive and harmonious outcomes for peace and justice.

Knowing that there is a source to our existence gives us a reference point. That reference point can be informative as well as instructive in terms of getting an understanding not only of who we are, but why we are here. Recognising that we are here for something better than pleasing ourselves and exploiting things and people around us, can actually take the angst and the pressure off.

It can also help us discover what it is to truly produce the goods in our time on earth. Producing the goods does not have to be measured in financial currency or the currency of the approval and popularity of others. Producing the goods can be expressed in dutiful and compassionate consideration for others. It can be a life spent serving the needs of those who don’t have access to the essentials. It can be supporting the cultivating of an environment for others to thrive.

That process can see us add onto gifts and abilities we innately have with more from experiences and interactions we have serving others. As we humbly view others as more important and respectfully engage them, we learn from them and become better for the experience and even the worst falls and setbacks in life can be the foundation for further producing of the goods.

Maybe that’s a good reason in considering why we are here.

(Photo by Scott Warman on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden