“Complacency is a satisfaction with the way things are and a rejection of things as they might be.”
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A Lesson From the Wild
Ronald Meredith, in his book “Hurryin’ Big For Little Reasons,” describes one quiet night in early spring:
“Suddenly out of the night came the sound of wild geese flying. I ran to the house and breathlessly announced the excitement I felt. What is to compare with wild geese across the moon? It might have ended there except for the sight of our tame mallards on the pond. They heard the wild call they had once known. The honking out of the night sent little arrows of prompting deep into their wild yesterdays. Their wings fluttered a feeble response. The urge to fly–to take their place in the sky for which God made them– was sounding in their feathered breasts, but they never raised from the water. The matter had been settled long ago. The corn of the barnyard was too tempting! Now their desire to fly only made them uncomfortable. Temptation is always enjoyed at the price of losing the capacity for flight.”
We live in a world surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation but we have become so complacent with our lives that we are frequently unable to experience the presence of God in the world around us.
It often takes an outside force, wild geese silhouetted against the moon, or a person with a different perspective to help us see the astounding wonders of the world as it truly is.
The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem was a quiet moment, limited to a few people. On the feast of the Epiphany, we celebrate the manifestation of God to the entire world, specifically to the Gentile nations who had received no prophecies and heard no heavenly hymns of praise.
But the Gentile astrologers did see a sign. Through an unusual star in the common constellations, God sent them a message they could not ignore. And so they came, nations and kings, to the light of Israel. They did not come to Israel itself. The people had become so used to God’s Word they had grown somewhat deaf to it, blind to His Light.
The Danger of Complacency
This is complacency, a contentment that prevents us, not only from seeing the light of Christ, but also prevents us from developing our gifts and talents to the fullest degree of which we are capable. Complacency is a satisfaction with the way things are and a rejection of things as they might be.
John Singer Sargent was considered the leading portrait painter of his generation. He was a tremendously prolific artist, creating approximately 900 oil paintings, 2000 watercolors, and an untold number of sketches and charcoal drawings. He reached the enviable position of being able to set high prices for commissions while turning down sitters he deemed “unsatisfactory.”
But he never allowed himself to be content with his talents and always worked to improve. It is said that in his studio there was a relatively small canvas he had painted of flowers. In spite of all the portraits and paintings that received critical acclaim throughout Europe, Sargent felt that this small painting represented his best work. He never sold it, in spite of some very tempting offers. He kept it in his studio because there were days when he doubted his skill and talent, wondering if he had anything in the way of beauty to truly offer the world. It was on those days that he would look to this small painting of flowers and be reminded of what he was truly capable of.
Have we become complacent in our work? Has “good enough” become our mantra? Do we remember that we have been tasked with spreading the light of the Gospel to the entire world? Have we forgotten that our gifts and talents, our abilities and interests, have been given to us to accomplish this task?
Saint Teresa of Calcutta said: ““Never do the work carelessly because you wish to hide your gifts. Remember, that work is His. You are His co-worker. Therefore, He depends on you for that special work. Do the work with Him, and the work will be done for Him. The talents God has given you are not yours – they have been given to you for your use, for the glory of God. There can be no half-measures in the work.”
The Gift of the Outsider
When the Gentile nations came to honor the Light of Israel, they did not come to the people, for whom the light had ceased to penetrate. They came to the Light itself and then proclaimed that Light to the world.
It sometimes takes a stranger, an outsider drawn by the light, to help us remember who we are, and to once again see the fullness of the Light.
The Light brings together a new people, gathered from all nations, a people of God, a people chosen, a branch grafted on to the tree of Israel.
Let us take this time to be reminded of the beauty and goodness that surrounds us. The evil in the world sometimes threatens to consume our thoughts, and blind us to the world’s goodness. It is necessary to once in a while take a step back, and see the Light that outshines the darkness. John the Evangelist reminds us of the power of the Light in some of the most beautiful lines in scripture.
“And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:5
Let us then be wakeful and watchful, mindful of the manifestations of God that occur around us every day. In particular let us watch for our brothers and sisters who are returning home. They too are drawn by the light and can help us to see with fresh eyes. We reach out to those who are coming to us with questions, and those who are tired and long for nothing more than to be again counted among God’s children.
We are blessed with converts and prodigals. These are our brothers and sisters who often reveal to us new and fruitful paths, let us listen to them, and welcome them with joy.
