The Man, the Beast, and the Spirit
“No,” said the Man.
“Yes,” said the Beast.
“Wait,” said the Spirit.
“Impossible,” said the Man.
“Ridiculous,” said the Beast.
“Miraculous,” said the Spirit
“Live for duty!” said the Man
“Obey your feelings!” said the Beast
“Let love guide your actions…” said the Spirit
So I set out to live a life of love. But the three at work within me, the Man, the Beast, and the Spirit, all continue to fight for control over my life. The Man wishes to be a decent person, liked by people and able to make it through life. He is frail and the weakest of the three. He is indifferent. He has trouble seeing beyond the present. He is stable and wants to maintain harmony. As the Man takes control of my life I understand what it is to value family, to value hard work. The Man does have a conscious, but it is marred and full of inconsistency.
The Beast in me has power over the man, and may overtake him with ease. With emotions fully-charged, the Beast demands to be fed. Snarling and vicious, it has no mind for decency, and would kill that which threatens or irritates it. One thing is certain, it is out to satisfy its urges and will stop at nothing to see them through.
The Spirit is the very power of God at work within me. As I pray, the Spirit whispers His will into my life, but the softness of His voice yet overpowers the sound of any other competing for authority. The most powerful of the three, the Spirit teaches me how to love. He teaches me how to work the Man and control the Beast. The Spirit gives the Man vision and clarity of purpose. He harnesses the Beast and shows the Man how to use it for protection or, if needed, attack. In addition to teaching, the Spirit also restores that which the Beast maimed or the Man neglected. He shows me how to love Himself and others, selflessly and sincerely. As Fenelon said, love carried through time becomes devotion.
You know, Jarod, its funny. I struggle with devotion and dedication. I am becoming more and more convinced of the importance of setting aside time every day to call upon the Spirit. This may not be necessary for every believer, but I am finding that my spontaneity is no longer sufficient. I don’t think God appreciates it much either.
Making a new plan,
Dave
