Part I

To have or not to have

I believe it is the issue of our days, that who we are can be seen by what we have, even to the extreme that to many, who we are is actually what we have.

Have possessions taken the place of one’s personal qualities?

Let us consider the Genesis account.

Since the first steps of mankind, its prior concern has been for the things owned or, to better point in the direction of this discussion, the interest has always been focused on the things not owned.

It did not matter much that God had given man all the trees in the garden to eat from. The desire and the eye was for the only one forbidden fruit. That single tree, that thing not owned, must have looked so far more promising than all the others, that man traded access to all, including the Tree of Life, just to have it. Every time man and woman passed by, they must have glanced at the tree of knowledge of good and evil, noticing how beautiful it was and wondering why God told them not to eat from it. The look at that tree must have been each time more persistent. The doubts about the true reasons why they could not eat from it must have grown, till the voice of the snake was heard by Eve and mankind thought to be wise enough to decide what was good and what was evil without any further enquiry to God on the matter. How disgraceful such evaluation and subsequent choice proved to be, I am sure is known to everyone.

Not that we learned the lesson!

The King lived about 3000 years ago. He probably was one of the greatest man that ever lived. Born a shepherd, he now sat on the throne of a kingdom he himself wanted and managed to create. But all became irrelevant and nothing but source of frustration because of the bathing woman he saw one night. The “forbidden fruit” looked again so incredibly beautiful and attractive.  The King was David and the woman Bathsheba. The story is too famous for us to tell it here again.

What do we learn from these two simple examples? What do we learn about the natural heart of man?

Happiness must be sought elsewhere and it cannot be found in what we have. The sense of satisfaction for the things possessed does not last long. Soon the eyes wonder and the good feeling will turn into a sense a frustration. A new desire to have more, to have what is not yet ours, will burn inside.

It's the human heart, you can't change this fact.

Perhaps we should seriously consider the possibility that happiness could be found in "being" instead of "having".

If only our forefathers had had more consideration for who they were instead of what they could not have, perhaps we would have not found ourselves in this miserable human condition.

During the temptation, as told in the gospel of Matthew, the first two times the Devil questioned Jesus saying: “If you are the Son of God…” The third time he says: “Again, the Devil took Him up into a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” -  Matthew 4:8-9. But Jesus could not let even all the possessions of the world stay between him and the Father: “Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” -  Matthew 4:10. Jesus knew his identity, who he was: Satan’s questioning that could not shake his consciousness about himself. He also knew who God is and that He alone deserves to be worshipped.

During the times of Jesus, there lived a rich young man who had everything he could desire. Yet he felt something was lacking.

“And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honour your father and your mother: and, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. The young man said unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?  Jesus said unto him, If you will be perfect, go and sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” – Matthew 19:16-26

The young man thought of eternal life just like any other good he possessed. So he inquired about what he had to do in order to gain it. He was ready to do whatever was necessary to add this other thing to his possessions. But where is God in all this? Jesus tries to call his attention to God, mentioning Him to the young man: “there is none good but one, that is, God.”  Then Jesus mentions to the man some commandments. Please notice that those are the precepts concerning the social life and no mention is made of God. Jesus asked that question because he knew that the young man felt something was lacking though he had been keeping those commandments. He still asks: “What lack I yet?” Though he had kept the law, he felt something was still lacking. So Jesus challenges him: “sell all you have and give it to the poor”. It was too much for him. His possessions were his god, that was the sad truth. Sadly but truly this applies to most rich people, that is why the Lord utters the famous controversial saying: “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” It was because of such an evident difficulty that Jesus said to his disciples: “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is, there will be your heart be also.” – Matthew 6:20-21.  One historical detail: very probably “the eye of a needle” was the name of a door of the city of Jerusalem which was so small that camels had to be unloaded of their cargo and enter of their knees.

One will soon be led to think that I am suggesting the reader to give up all his earthly possessions or not to commit himself to work, buy a house, live a normal life. This is not the meaning or purpose of this discussion.  Too much stress on a wrong spiritually has led some to confine themselves to live ascetic lives, separated from the world and from all worldly pleasures and possessions.  The literal interpretation of some Bible passages, when taken out or their proper context and historical background, may lead to extremes.  Some evirated themselves for the kingdom literally, thinking that they were obeying the words of Jesus, when he never really meant that. See Matthew 19:12: “For there are some eunuchs who were born so from their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of Heaven's sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

The Bible says that “the love of money is the root of all evil”, I Timothy 6:10. Not money, but the love of money! Enjoying life is not wrong, provided it is done in the right perspective of who we are in Christ Jesus. What we have must not poison our Christian lives. Earthly things can and must be considered and cherished for what they actually are: God’s blessings.

Let's take a look at the New Testament and study if "being" is important there too or ours is just a philosophical and nice speculation, but nothing more.

In the Beatitudes Jesus openly says: "you are the salt of the earth." - Matthew 5:13. He added: "You are the light of the world.  - Matthew 5:14.

Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit taught us: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10.

God says of Himself: “I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” - Revelation 1:8. I believe the author of Revelation is trying to explain here in Greek – the language of the New Testament – what Exodus 3:14 said in Hebrew.