Faith, Fear, and Foolishness

In Section 3, Paper 110 of the Urantia Book, the author states that we humans "…spend so much time and thought on mere trifles of living, while you almost wholly overlook the more essential realities of everlasting import…"  

When I read this, I immediately thought of materialism.  I don’t know about the rest of the world, but in the U.S., our entire social consciousness – the very fabric of our society – is rooted in economics. We spend our lives in a never ending struggle for wealth and material accumulation.  We’re all about houses, cars, clothes, electronics, retirement accounts, the stock market, the bottom line.  More, bigger, better, faster.  But why?  Why is money so much our master? 

I believe it comes down to fear.  Humans are a fundamentally fearful race.  We’re afraid if we don’t accumulate enough for ourselves and our children, our survival here is uncertain.  But did not God promise us we would always be cared for?

 

I am by no means a Biblical scholar (nor even a follower of the Bible), but in Matthew 6:31-34, it says, “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." 

In the Urantia Book, Paper 165:5.3, Jesus himself states, "Let me assure you, once and for all, that, if you dedicate your lives to the work of the kingdom, all your real needs shall be supplied."

I can’t help but wonder if the economic upheavals we've experienced in recent times were a deliberate course correction designed to shift our focus away from materialism and back into alignment with spirit? 

Matthew is also credited for saying, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”  [I looked up “mammon” which is commonly thought to mean money, material wealth, or any entity that promises wealth, and is associated with the greedy pursuit of gain.]

The second paragraph of Section 3, Paper 110, states, “The success of your Adjuster in the enterprise of piloting you through the mortal life and bringing about your survival depends not so much on the theories of your beliefs as upon your decisions, determinations, and steadfast faith.”  And what is fear if not lack of faith?

I must conclude that by decrying the “trifles of living,” this passage endeavors to remind us our focus should not be on our material survival which God has already guaranteed for us, but instead on ceasing to resist the efforts of our Adjuster (the indwelling, living fragment of God within us) to progress us along the path of spiritual attainment as we seek God’s perfection.  It’s simply a matter of summoning the courage to turn our backs upon our ceaseless material pursuits and take a leap of faith into the arms of God, believing that by wholly devoting ourselves to our Adjuster’s will and thus engaging in “the work of the kingdom,” God will take care of the rest. 

No one ever said this was going to be easy.