Wanting The Wrong Thing

“‘Tis as much the nature of one that is spiritually newborn, to thirst after growth in holiness as ‘tis the nature of a newborn babe, to thirst after the mother’s breast; who has the sharpest appetite, when he is best in health” (Jonathan Edwards, 1746).

Ann and I just returned from two weeks in Australia. We were visiting our youngest son, Hank, and traveling with our daughter, son in law and first grandchild, Annie Mac. Every time we woke up to Annie Mac crying we'd both smile, knowing she is "best in health." We would also roll over and smile again thinking that Mary Page and Will would be the ones to get up with her because the real mystery was always, why is she crying? The same question should be asked of us.

Anger, stress, fear, insecurity, greed, lust, sloth, impatience, frustration, addiction, these are all tears. None of them are the things we want, but each is the result of wanting something. The question is not why we have tears, but what are we crying for?

For most of us, desires fall under four categories: career success, social prominence, romantic connection and physical comfort. Each of these is good, and even necessary for human flourishing. Career success moves us to develop and discover, social prominence moves us to connect and care, romantic connection moves us to love as Christ loves his church and physical comfort moves us to bring order out of chaos. These are things that God has made us to do, and we feel joy when we are doing them best. The problem is that we can no more control them than Annie Mac can control her hunger, and when they are left uncontrolled they eventually lead to very ugly melt downs.

We see the same principal at work in economics. "It is not for the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from the regard of their own interests" (Adam Smith, 1776). Our desires, our “own interests,” just like capitalism, must have oversight, and we are not strong enough to effectively provide that. We cannot make our desires submit to virtue any more than we can hold a beach ball under the surface forever. We can hide it for a while, and strong people can hide it for a while longer, but it will always explode to the surface.

So what’s the solution? We need to put on a new set of clothes, or as Paul puts it, “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh” (Rom. 13:14). In this context Paul is talking about covering ourselves in Christ, covering our inability and desire-driven-shame in a way that gives us a more powerful highest good. When Jesus is our chief desire he will then order all others in the same way as

when the child desires his mother more than his mother's milk.

So what should we do about that this Friday? "Clothe yourselves" is written in the active

voice. Some activity or effort is required, and it will likely be different for each of us. Start by asking yourself, at what times has Jesus and his gospel been most attractive to you? Where were you and what were you doing? Then go there and do that.

On earth as it is in heaven…

Adam