Watch me Dad

One of the most primal cries of all children, is "watch me Dad". It is driven by a human instinct for approval.

The symbol of that approval is inevitably our highest known point of reference and it timing in our lives is akin to a pilot setting his gyro compass and altitude before taking off, so he can have a reliable reference system for navigation.

Sooner or later we realise that "Dad" is not perfect, nor is he able to fully satisfy our need for approval. So we then reference our lives to others. Whether by design or accident, the world exploits that need to manipulate human behaviour. Thus a boss will reward selectvely, yet very visibly, to provoke others to do likewise. Similarly, advertisers will remind us of our inherent weaknesses and motivate us to do something about it, after all "everyone else is using our product".

I have always strongly advocated "stewardship". The principle is best seen in an executive board, which is always specifically mandated by shareholders to steward sharehodler value. The only audience they need to please, notwithstanding other social demands, is the shareholders and the only measure of success is performance against what the shareholder specified in the original mandate.

I have since shifted my position though. I see far too much offence in the idea. Church leaders are amongst the worst culprits in that they end up enslaving the servants of God to their own causes. However, the world in general is organised to exploit human potential, because at the apex of the system is the dark heart of sin, which is sustained by our own perceptions of nakedness and inadequacy. Although that nakedness is fundamental and incurable, most are satisfied enough with peer approval, for as long as they are painted the right colors and look the part they are fine, notwithstanding the price that demands of health and family.

Great men like Jesus and Paul and many others, learnt to transcend that need and to live above human approval. Indeed, a shrewd understanding of what Jesus did with regard to the law, was to set our motivations above the law so that we are no longer bound to it but to the law of the heart, in doing what we do for love' sake, not for the sake of duty or obligation - and against such, there is no law.

The elusive virtue that great men had was the ability to rise above human approval or disapproval and to reference their lives to something unseen by others - the hidden, but very real presence of God, the Father, that Father to which all our lesser fathers point.

I will say more in a subsequent post.

(c) Peter Eleazar @ www.groundwon.blogspot.com