“Just look at us. Everything is backwards, everything is upside down. Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, psychiatrists destroy minds, scientists destroy truth, major media destroys information, religions destroy spirituality and governments destroy freedom.” – Michael Ellner
After writing a devotional about the definition of normal, I was fascinated with everything regarding ‘normal’ on the internet. My conclusion was, that what we perceive as normal life, is actually absurd. Michael Ellner’s quote forced me to stop for a while and think about everything we see as normal…
We deem it normal that more than half of society is on some kind of chronic medication for some kind of incurable illness; we deem it normal that the media is bombarding us with negativity (and they do it because we have this weird craving for stories filled with sadness, failure and death); we deem it normal that our children are exposed to violence and murder on television; and to worsen it we deem it normal that our children play all sorts of war and violent fighting games on their cell phones and tablets (yet, we expect them to be calm and well behaved); we deem it normal to compete for the highest amount of friends on social media (yet, we feel so terribly alone); we deem it normal that high numbers of old aged people are in lonesome old age homes, and barely see their families; we deem it normal that more than half of the world’s grain produce goes for animal feed, so that the rich can eat meat, and the poor can starve to death…
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” – Colossians 2:8
I found this on the Collective Evolution website, where they list these interesting facts that we also oddly accept as normal:
· We prioritize money and the economy over basics like air, water, food quality, our environment, & our communities.
· We utilize an economic trading system that facilitates the death of millions of people each year.
· We divide the world’s land into sections and then fight over who owns these sections.
· We call some people “soldiers” which makes it OK for them to kill other people.
· We torture and kill millions of animals every day needlessly for food, clothing, and experiments.
· We send children to school for their entire childhood to memorize facts and skills that they will rarely use.
· We impose financial pressures on parents, forcing them to miss out on vital stages of their child’s development.
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.” – 1 John 2:16
If you ask psychologists, they will tell you that as long as you don’t deviate from the norm or standard (set by society, just to be clear!), you are normal. Is that really good enough? “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2
Maybe it is time to stop and think about what normal really is. Maybe it is time to stop and evaluate your own heart and your own motives? And maybe it is time to stop and look at where you are, and to reposition yourself if you see that you are being sucked into the world system? Not all things in this world is bad and wrong, but not all the motives of world leaders, church leaders, business executives, and people are right! And the choice of what you accept as normal, is entirely up to you. There is unfortunately no monkey puzzle you can take to make sure that you are not deviating from the norm.
The only question you can ask to try and position yourself, is “am I living a life pleasing to my God and Saviour?” And if the answer is no, the choice is yours to make the change! “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” – Colossians 3:23
Blessings,
Yolandi
We deem it normal that more than half of society is on some kind of chronic medication for some kind of incurable illness; we deem it normal that the media is bombarding us with negativity (and they do it because we have this weird craving for stories filled with sadness, failure and death); we deem it normal that our children are exposed to violence and murder on television; and to worsen it we deem it normal that our children play all sorts of war and violent fighting games on their cell phones and tablets (yet, we expect them to be calm and well behaved); we deem it normal to compete for the highest amount of friends on social media (yet, we feel so terribly alone); we deem it normal that high numbers of old aged people are in lonesome old age homes, and barely see their families; we deem it normal that more than half of the world’s grain produce goes for animal feed, so that the rich can eat meat, and the poor can starve to death…
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” – Colossians 2:8
I found this on the Collective Evolution website, where they list these interesting facts that we also oddly accept as normal:
· We prioritize money and the economy over basics like air, water, food quality, our environment, & our communities.
· We utilize an economic trading system that facilitates the death of millions of people each year.
· We divide the world’s land into sections and then fight over who owns these sections.
· We call some people “soldiers” which makes it OK for them to kill other people.
· We torture and kill millions of animals every day needlessly for food, clothing, and experiments.
· We send children to school for their entire childhood to memorize facts and skills that they will rarely use.
· We impose financial pressures on parents, forcing them to miss out on vital stages of their child’s development.
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.” – 1 John 2:16
If you ask psychologists, they will tell you that as long as you don’t deviate from the norm or standard (set by society, just to be clear!), you are normal. Is that really good enough? “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2
Maybe it is time to stop and think about what normal really is. Maybe it is time to stop and evaluate your own heart and your own motives? And maybe it is time to stop and look at where you are, and to reposition yourself if you see that you are being sucked into the world system? Not all things in this world is bad and wrong, but not all the motives of world leaders, church leaders, business executives, and people are right! And the choice of what you accept as normal, is entirely up to you. There is unfortunately no monkey puzzle you can take to make sure that you are not deviating from the norm.
The only question you can ask to try and position yourself, is “am I living a life pleasing to my God and Saviour?” And if the answer is no, the choice is yours to make the change! “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” – Colossians 3:23
Blessings,
Yolandi