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June 12, 2008
|-- FATHER'S DAY @ HEARTLIGHT -----------------------------|
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Damocles, Spock, and Paul, by Russ Lawson
I read a reference yesterday that mentioned Damocles. I had heard the
name before but never read the story, so I looked it up. Are you
familiar with it?
The story is told of Damocles, an excessively flattering courtier
in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a fourth century BC
tyrant of Syracuse. He exclaimed that, as a great man of power and
authority, Dionysius was truly fortunate. Dionysius offered to
switch places with him for a day, so he could taste first hand that
fortune. In the evening a banquet was held, where Damocles very
much enjoyed being waited upon like a king. Only at the end of the
meal did he look up and notice a sharpened sword hanging by a
single piece of horsehair directly above his head. Immediately, he
lost all taste for the fine foods and beautiful servers and asked
leave of the tyrant, saying he no longer wanted to be so fortunate.
(Wikipedia.com)
Most of us occasionally imagine ourselves living a different life. We
may even fantasize about being born rich, living in a different place,
a different country, having a different wife or husband. It may be that
you've dreamed of having children that behave better or parents that
love more. We may dream about what it would be like to have a body that
functions perfectly or is our imagined perfect age instead of being
disabled, old or even young. We might dream of having power to command
or freedom from responsibility to do whatever our heart desires.
In the story of Damocles we see the lesson taught: that what we imagine
to be the perfect life may have drawbacks or problems we never imagined
(like a sword hanging over your head). What we desire or want badly may
not be quite as desirable as we like to think it would be.
I may be dating myself, but I remember watching the television program
"Star Trek" when it was first on television. There was one episode that
has stayed with me for all of these years. In that episode the
character Mr. Spock was forced to fight for the woman to whom he was
engaged. He won, but then gave up the right to the woman. He turned to
the man who now would be joined to this woman and said some words that
tell a truth which most of us fail to realize until too late. These may
not be exact, but the meaning is the same: "You may find that having is
not as pleasing as wanting".
How many times in our lives have we wanted something so badly, only to
be disappointed when we finally get whatever it was we wanted? Spock
was right, "having very often is not as pleasing as wanting, or as we
had imaged it to be."
How satisfied are you with your life?
How satisfied are you with your life?
The apostle Paul had this to say about it writing to a group of
Christians who were concerned for his welfare. He wrote:
It is a great and truly Christian joy to me that after all this
time you have shown such renewed interest in my welfare. I don't
mean that you had forgotten me, but up till now you had no
opportunity of expressing your concern. Nor do I mean that I have
been in actual need, for I have learned to be content, whatever the
circumstances may be. I know now how to live when things are
difficult and I know how to live when things are prosperous. In
general and in particular I have learned the secret of eating well
or going hungry, of facing either plenty or poverty. I am ready for
anything through the strength of the One who lives within me (Philippians
4:1-13 Philip's Translation).
So how are you doing? God still has a lot of work to do on me to get me
to that point!
---------
(c) 2008 Russ Lawson <rlawson@wclo.net>, Messages from the Heart
<http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* Satisfaction
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200009/20000912_satisfaction.html
* Is That All There Is?
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200712/20071205_thereis.html
* Thirsty in the Rain
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200105/20010511_family1156.html
* Messages from the Heart
http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200806/20080612_damocles.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
CAPTIVATING: UNVEILING THE MYSTERY OF A WOMAN'S SOUL, by John & Stasi Eldredge
Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the
pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, passionate
lover, or capable home manager. What Wild at Heart did for men, this
book can do for women.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?251
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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ministry. Thanks SO MUCH for your help!
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