My parents did not condition me to be a survivor.
There are messages that I received as a child and growing into those developmental years of the teens and 20’s. Some of those messages from the culture I absorbed and some from the parents who did the best they knew to create an environment for their children to grow in. They were the type of parents who worked a lot and sacrificed much in the belief that where their children grew up and how they were brought up was worth them giving up their own ambitions. They wanted more for their children than they had received themselves. They thought it would happen if their children got the best of the educational system in Britain. They thought it would happen if their children were brought up in the fear of the Lord with a sound understanding of the Christianity they adopted.
I don’t know if they did sufficient research on the culture, they were putting their children through. How the culture was at odds with the Christianity they valued was not something they bargained for. Although to be fair, it’s not as though there were obviously better cultural environments to hope their children would learn about God and follow Him.
My parents were definitely survivors, but it wasn’t obvious to me looking on that they were “surviving”. My Dad appeared content with his lot. And made the best of his situation. Not a word of murmur or complaint, not an attitude of wishing things were better or if only this or if only that. Work as hard as he could, get home, eat and rest, repeat through the week, worship on Sabbath and rest on Sunday. Evening after evening, he’d retire to his room and work his way through his studies. Diligent, consistent and operating in wonderful equanimity.
Meanwhile, my Mum was very keen for her children to get the very best the system had for them. It was hard work through the week for her for sure. It was also the constant active encouragement for all her children to reach what they could reach. Even more inspirational was the example she set about that as soon as the children were able to look after themselves to a degree. That example was beginning to work out how she too could make of the gifts and abilities she had. With relatively little help she was able to craft an existence for herself that saw her live more according to her schedule rather than one imposed on her.
Both parents lived for their children totally and did it as much by example as by instruction. That example did not perceive life as something to survive. Despite economic challenges, they showed an attitude that said flourishing and contentment were not primarily found in material goods, the world’s idea of security or readily available money on tap.
The first scripture I was encouraged to learn from memory was Psalm 1. That is not a psalm about survival. It’s always hit me as a psalm that understands humans are designed to thrive and understands where the source of that is found. The idea of thriving is particularly seen in the picture of the tree whose leaves don’t wither. The fruit may be seasonal, but the leaves are a sign of a tree in good health. That doesn’t promote certain approaches to the gospel that suggest that all believers have to be wealthy because God’s idea of thriving is not expressed through what you have in material terms.
Following Jesus was never meant to be about just surviving, barely making it through, struggling to get there. As His life was all about glory, so it is to be the case for all those who follow Him. And the concept of glory does not fit a narrative of survival. It pictures the life of Christ as bearing fruit and more fruit because the life is intertwined with the life that overcame death. That is not a life that is defined by the word survival. That is a life that is shaped by the life that created life. And created all there is and created it to find its value in the Creator. A good Creator who made all to be good. Shalom, fullness, harmony and flourishing is at the heart of creation. It’s no surprise then, that this is the design He has in mind for those who follow Him.
It’s sad that we’ve messed it up by the extremes of believing it’s about health and wealth on the one hand or about totally denying any semblance of the material as if it in itself was the problem. It’s sad that the narratives often given to people are to get enough to just survive. It’s sad when joy unspeakable is found in Jesus Christ who lived for glory and has glory prepared for those who follow Him wholeheartedly.
It’s fun, however, working out what Jesus means by abundant life. It’s fun discovering that out even in the most challenging times and finding that out in Him by faith.
For His Name’s Sake
C. L. J. Dryden
Shalom
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