Lessons of Life

One thing that was special about working at Catering is that you had the pleasure of hearing a higher-up go on temper tantrums and tirades on a regular basis.  I think it was a mix of a lack of self control and a self-expression problem, really.  Anyways, we just got a new phone system not too long ago there, and one day they were having a meeting trying to figure out how to organize the automated directory for when people call in.  He got himself all worked up into a tizzy trying to make sure that we don't miss any calls at all because that is essentially like throwing money away, and money is the sole life-blood of Catering (really).  It is such an important call that he started to just say, "God is calling, what do we do to make sure we talk to Him?"  (reducing the person on the phone to money, and equating that to God.)  

The thing is, i am not so sure that he was speaking in hyperbole at all.  

Last night i was reading a book for fun (which was lovely, even if my choice of 'fun' books are, ahhh, not what most people would think of).  It is about the sociology of religion and forming a new, viable theory for future research purposes that has strong economic theoretical roots.  BUT, one of the propositions got me to thinking: "The greater the number of gods worshiped by a group, the lower the price of exchanging with each."

I think this is very true.  the greater number of 'gods' in our daily lives, the lower the price paid to each will be.  this is also not a new idea.  in martin luther's discussion of the first commandment he said, "Idolatry does not consist merely of erecting an image and praying to it, but it is primarily a matter of the heart, which fixes its gaze upon other things and seeks help and consolation from creatures, saints, or devils."  anything that takes a part of us, whether it be money, shoes, other people, the computer... anything, would then fall into this idolatry category and i think it is for just the reason that the proposition above states: the price people are 'willing' to pay that is left over for the God of all is that much less.  Paul also makes a very similar (same?) point in Col. 3:5.  

the other night i went out to dinner with sara with a group of interviewees for SLU's residency program.  one of the other kids interviewing there made me stop and think.  at first they were saying that he is a 'partial' vegetarian, which meant that he did not eat pork.  then when we were ordering drinks, we all got some kind of wine or cocktail and he got a sprite.  his identity as a muslim was something that was very public even though he didn't need to say anything about it.  it made me stop and wonder whether i live my life in a public way that makes it noticeable that i am a christian, or whether there are too many other things in my life that are thrown into the mix with God, thereby reducing the price i am willing to pay to him in a public way.