The Arts
When I opened the Bible for some reading today, my eye fell upon a particularly strong marking I had made in it some months ago. It was from Amos 6:
Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory and stretch themselves out on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midts of the stall, who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and, like David, invent for themselves instruments of music, who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruins of Joseph.
It goes on to essentially say that these are the people who will be first against the wall when the revolution comes.
They are clever. They are talented. They enjoy great wealth and opportunity. They are involved in the arts in a respectable manner, which is indicated by their similarity to David, a poet and greatest of the Jewish kings.
The problem is not that their wealth (which they probably didn't earn) or skills are evil. The problem is that their hearts are not in the right place, for they are "not grieved over the ruins of Joseph."
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I am not sitting on a bed of ivory, but I do have very nice accommodations (yes, I finished moving in yesterday, thanks to generous Christians who gave me cutlery and dishes). Friends sent fruit, cheeses, candies, gift certificates and other pleasant things. Porters and officials are friendly; and bedders and maintenance staff genially helpful. Several times a day, I fall to my knees from gratitude; I am overwhelmed.
Yet pray for me, that I do not fail to remember the important issues and needs of my own time, that I would not amass grace without channelling that goodness toward others who have more needs than I. Pray that I would focus properly on my studies, and train well in the discipline of spiritual good.
Grieving over deplorable things is better than obscuring one's eyes with trivialities, but the best life also involves faith, action, and endurance. Pray for me.