It appears that a desire for recognition is common with self-aware human beings. It may be that lack of any feeling for recognition is a sign that a person is unaware of the dignity of mankind, a special creation in the physical (natural) world, perhaps for the universe which mankind has invaded. Man may be a unique presence in all of creation even to the outer rim of space. All efforts to pick up signs from another creation have failed. Only a few unverified sounds have been received. They apparently can be accounted for in what is known of the universe, where no other civilization has yet been found. As reported on another Page, a lengthy effort to find another life civilization like mankind in intelligence and activity has been closed down. At this writing, the absence of evidence suggests that human beings are the representatives of one special kind in the compound of male and female. That mystery carries over to some degree to the animal world, but the competencies of humankind set the race ahead of all else that is known – by large margin. We conduct self as the god of nature. In that we seek to harness nature with only the status of mortality. This god is fragile in many ways, but magnificent when adapting to reality.
This specialness has been diluted in various ways. The first is in the doubt of God, who has left record of his formation of mankind that included something of God’s image as the unique human identity. That very specialness may have opened us to temptation to becoming more than earth demi-gods. In rebellion vital resources were lost, but a program of redemption was inaugurated and communicated to retrieve the original purpose – for a created intelligence to have fellowship and life with God. The move, humbling for mortal pride, caused persons of faith to move away from self to wisdom, and recovery. Magnificent, even though creaturely and spiritually incapacitated, mankind frittered away possibilities, opportunities, in shallowness, indirection, dilution of values and morality. Everything was affected in the use of resources, marginalization of vision, falling to some disorder, and disregard for wisdom, and for the search of that which is good. Sin became a factor. Sin became cause for god-rejection rather than for consideration.
Confusing scenarios may be illustrated in the desire for wealth, and its definition which leads to excess, to greed, to distortion of values, to disregard for others, and ultimately to cleverness over wisdom, and to excuses relieving individuals of love and concern for others. Labor is the only factor an individual brings to wealth. But, there is another resource. The resource is in the gifts of God for survival so that we may serve, receive reimbursement for service, and so meet the obligations of earth culture. By various means the materialist tries to build wealth. This does not mean the person is a bad person in earth context, but has rearranged the priorities of God for life. Wealth is accumulated, sometimes fairly and sometimes unfairly, but the result, either way, may create balance or imbalance. Some persons are left out of the equation. The meaning of God for the creation has been so diluted in this or that, the society rises and falls, the people flourish and starve, but wealth accumulators survive in nature rather well in all.
After my retirement from administration in Christian higher education, I had put together a modest retirement program, and joined a friend in his company to carry out his vision to build churches. I signed papers to advance the company, and when the economic bust came my retirement nest-egg was gone. My friend completed a major contract to the letter, carrying a huge debt to the date of the payment of the contract with a major Wall Street company. The company reneged: to protect capital, they said. My friend’s company ended. Persons and churches in construction were hurt, deprived in the consequences. In the meantime, the head of the reneging company was awarded many millions of dollars to leave the company. This pattern occurs often, as the lesser agent must surrender to the power controllers. Under God, our wealth should seek his approval. In my inmost being I smile in that in the large picture four churches were built and the ministry of Christ enhanced. In all God has blessed, and I have the love of my family, friends, colleagues, and God’s graces. It is a vital perception that God does not settle all accounts on any one day or year. He sometimes enters lives through the back door of success. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020