I believe that in a lot of things in life, you need to have the correct BALANCE. Be it our physical world, or personalities and social interactions, or our moral and spiritual development, maintaining the right balance is very important.
When I say balance, I don’t mean like in scales or see-saws, where balanced means ‘both sides being EQUAL‘. Such as in ‘There must be a balance between Good and Evil (both in equal amounts)’. No, I think that’s nonsense philosophy.
When I say balance, I mean having things in the CORRECT AMOUNT. Such as the balance of salt and water in your blood. The correct saltiness of healthy human blood is only 0.9%. Having equal amounts of salt and water in your blood (each 50%) is fatal! U R D34D & 0WNZ3R3D!!
So to me, the correct ‘balance between Good and Evil’ is 100% Good, with no Evil left.
With the definition made clear, on to what I wanted to say today: Remember the Greatest Commandments that Jesus stated? 1) Love God, and 2) Love Mankind. (Matthew 22:34-40)
I feel that many of the problems in the world today are when people don’t have a proper balance bewteen the two in their lives.
Love Mankind too much, Love God too little – This is a major problem with our modern world. People break God’s rules (and heart) under the pretext of loving one another. Gay marriage, free love/sex, anything-goes cultism, I-do-what-I-want self worship… The more and more people elevate Mankind over God, the more the religion of Humanism takes over and people become their own gods. People always quote the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. But I wonder how many ever treat God the way they would want to be treated, instead of stepping on His feelings.
Love God too much, Love Mankind too little – History is full of examples of those who claimed to be devoted to God, yet seemed to care naught about His unique creations made in His image. The original Pharisees, the Inquisition, religiously motivated terrorism today… every little time where we drill just a small hole in the plank in our eye, so we can set fire to the speck in our brother’s eye. Cannon fodder and perfect stereotypes for anti-religionist movements.
Love God and Mankind too little! – Describes people colloquially known as ‘Rat Ba****s’, ‘SOBs’ and/or ‘Total A**h***s.’ People who have 0% of each basically screw over everything in the universe except themselves. Little more description is needed. The Communist Champs (Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot etc) fall into this category by default since they avow the existence of God.
It has also been said that Christian attitudes can be described as a cross. Vertical is focusing on God, horizontal is focusing on Mankind. For instance, in evangelism… The Roman Catholic Church with its strong efforts in charity and humanitarian aid but alleged straying from the original Apostolic teachings has been said to be too ‘horizontally oriented’.
Whereas the Evangelicals who seek evangelise with correct doctrine without providing basic needs of life have been called too ‘vertically oriented’. The poor need the bread of carbohydrate as well as the Bread of Life. See how a balance of both is important?
Love God and Love Mankind can be further divided into more specific sections, of which I feel each of us has our own personal shortcomings. But remembering not to tilt too far to one side in order to maintain the ‘cross’ can be a helpful check on our attitudes and actions.
And the perfect balance to try and attain? 100% of each! (although it may be argued from Scripture that one should love God more than Mankind, for anyone who truly loves God and obeys His will will naturally love His precious children)
THE SCOTTTCAST 