#self-seeking

Watching someone else’s argument.

Like overhearing a couple fighting at the store. We get a fragment (out-of-context) from some long-running dispute.

You and I have no stake in it. The only reason it draws our attention at all is that it’s loud.

It’s kind of hard to be interested in something like that.

That’s what today’s Gospel can feel like. With Jesus and the Pharisees sniping at each other. About obscure traditions. Again.

We’re watching someone else’s argument. And it’s kind of hard to be interested.

So why would St. Mark bother telling us about it?

While it may take the form of someone else’s argument, it actually shows us one of the most subtle ways that faith can go bad.

All the things that the Pharisees are doing? The stuff that Jesus is on them about? They’re not bad things. They’re actually things that were part of the Jewish law.

Commanded to make intentional breaks in the life of a believer. To create places and moments in everyday living to reconnect with God.

The Pharisees were supposed to be living that example. To show people that it could be done. That was their ministry.

So people could see the peace and power of a life focused on God.

A life lived that way is a blessing. And a powerful witness.

Jesus isn’t calling them out for that. Jesus is on them for losing sight of the point of what they were doing.

They weren’t doing the things to keep themselves connected with God. To show others the peace and power of a life focused on God.

They were doing them for power and influence. Their service wasn’t about God anymore.

From the outside, people saw the Pharisees still doing the things that God had commanded. It created a very positive impression for them. If you didn’t look too closely. One that gave them power and influence.

For them, the service was about them. It was little more than a means to power and influence.

Which, as Henri Nouwen points out, can only lead to one place, “service outside of God becomes self-seeking, and self-seeking service leads to manipulation, and manipulation to power games, and power games to violence, and violence to destruction — even when it falls under the name of ministry.”

Love is Patient, Love is Kind

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

4 Kasih itu sabar, murah hati, tidak iri, tidak memegahkan diri dan tidak sombong. 5 Orang yang mengasihi itu tidak kasar, tidak mementingkan diri sendiri, tidak gampang marah dan tidak mengingat kesalahan orang lain. 6 Orang yang mengasihi itu tidak bersukacita kalau orang lain membuat kesalahan, tetapi mereka selalu senang atas kebenaran. 7 Orang yang mengasihi itu tidak pernah menyerah pada orang lain. Mereka selalu percaya, selalu berharap dan selalu tabah. — 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 | New International Version (NIV) and Alkitab Mudah Dibaca (AMD) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide and Perjanjian Baru: Alkitab Mudah Dibaca @ 2021 Bible League International. Cross References: Proverbs 10:12; Proverbs 17:9; Jeremiah 40:16; Matthew 18:13; Mark 9:23; Acts 7:9; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Corinthians 10:24; 1 Corinthians 10:33; 2 Corinthians 5:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:12; 2 John 1:4

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Whistleblower confirms Facebook’s crap profiteering ideology

The 37-year-old whistleblower named Frances Haugen liberated “tens of thousands” of pages of documents from Facebook and even plans to testify to Congress at some point this week. Haugen has filed at least eight complaints with the SEC alleging that Facebook has lied to shareholders about its own product. Fundamentally, Haugen alleges there’s a key conflict between what’s good for Facebook and…

"The unconscious ignorance will cause pain in the heart and others." This phrase is actually realized in the process of my life's growth. I also realized that not everyone can have such self-awareness, conscious that they are unwise, and that they have no wisdom. If people have such conscious feelings, they will be self-seeking wisdom and benefit themselves and others.

In this world, however, most people are unwilling to admit that they are stupid. They always feel that they are smarter than others, have talents than others, and have a way of doing things better than others. Because in the social competition for survival, you need to show your own intelligence and talents to fight against others to rise in positions to seek higher occupational and high pay, control others to achieve their own goals.

It is a shame that this kind of ingenuity, often unscrupulous, has no compassion and empathy and even no morals and morals. Finally, it brings itself to a tragic end to life, even a miserable life. This kind of wisdom is not wisdom, on the contrary, it is actually very ignorant and stupid. Oddly enough, these people are usually highly educated students who are recognized by the state of society and have a high degree of education. All of us can make a clear observation from domestic and international society and politics, even history. I have such experience and I observe it from my own growth experience as well.

4 사랑은 오래 참고 사랑은 온유하며 투기하는 자가 되지 아니하며 사랑은 자랑하지 아니하며 교만하지 아니하며

5 무례히 행치 아니하며 자기의 1)유익을 구치 아니하며 성내지 아니하며 악한 것을 생각지 아니하며

6 불의를 기뻐하지 아니하며 진리와 함께 기뻐하고

7 모든 것을 참으며 모든 것을 믿으며 모든 것을 바라며 모든 것을 견디느니라

Watching someone else’s argument.

Like overhearing a couple fighting at the store. We get a fragment (out-of-context) from some long-running dispute.

You and I have no stake in it. The only reason it draws our attention at all is that it’s loud.

It’s kind of hard to be interested in something like that.

That’s what today’s Gospel can feel like. With Jesus and the Pharisees sniping at each other. About obscure traditions. Again.

We’re watching someone else’s argument. And it’s kind of hard to be interested.

So why would St. Mark bother telling us about it?

While it may take the form of someone else’s argument, it actually shows us one of the most subtle ways that faith can go bad.

All the things that the Pharisees are doing? The stuff that Jesus is on them about? They’re not bad things. They’re actually things that were part of the Jewish law.

Commanded to make intentional breaks in the life of a believer. To create places and moments in everyday living to reconnect with God.

The Pharisees were supposed to be living that example. To show people that it could be done. That was their ministry.

So people could see the peace and power of a life focused on God.

A life lived that way is a blessing. And a powerful witness.

Jesus isn’t calling them out for that. Jesus is on them for losing sight of the point of what they were doing.

They weren’t doing the things to keep themselves connected with God. To show others the peace and power of a life focused on God.

They were doing them for power and influence. Their service wasn’t about God anymore.

From the outside, people saw the Pharisees still doing the things that God had commanded. It created a very positive impression for them. If you didn’t look too closely. One that gave them power and influence.

For them, the service was about them. It was little more than a means to power and influence.

Which, as Henri Nouwen points out, can only lead to one place, “service outside of God becomes self-seeking, and self-seeking service leads to manipulation, and manipulation to power games, and power games to violence, and violence to destruction — even when it falls under the name of ministry.”