To forget one’s purpose is the commonest form of stupidity ~ Friedrich Nietzche

This is a rather common theme for me ~ remembering one’s purpose that is. A friend of mine posted on Facebook the faux logic piece “If guns kill people…then pencils misspell words, cars make people drunk and forks make people fat.” I replied the function of a pencil is to write, the function of a car is to drive somewhere, the function of eating utensils is to put food in your mouth, the function of a gun is to kill…the function of assault rifles is to assault…” He responded positively and another joined in a reasonable talk; as much as you can on Facebook. I have other friends who just make slogans that apparently make sense to them or least feed their biases, but make no real logical sense.

As I said this purpose things has been a favorite point of mine: the function of farming is to create food (not just to get rich); the function of medicine is to heal (not just to get rich); the function of a teacher is to teach (they don’t have to worry about getting rich, but they are not to browbeat kids); the function a union is to secure living wages for folk working in the jobs (not just to get more than their share of the economic pie); the function of preaching is to help folk live lives steadfast love and care (not just for personal salvation or to save folk (only Jesus can do that)); the function of a business is to provide a goods or services for those who want and need the products or services (not just the bottom line); the function of a member of congress is to serve the citizen’s interests (not just to get elected and cater to those who give them the most funds to get that)… Well, you get the point. But what amazes me is how many don’t get that simple point and go off on tangents and sidetracks.

A good example is profit based medicine which we know does not provide as good or as inclusive health care as those countries who have some form of socialized medicine. Because we have lost sight of that in this country we have a huge economic drain upon our society both for individuals and businesses. It also seems that congress has totally lost their sense of public servanthood and has become the toadies of the rich. That is the way to lose democracy.

I don’t make new year’s resolutions, but I do live in a state of constant hope. There is a cute bit on Facebook about make 2013 a year of love by spelling it backwards looks a Greek word for love ~ eros. Of course, is the word for romantic love, rather than brotherly love, filia; or causative love, agape; sometimes we need not get too picky. But it is a nice thought.

I am also confident not because I have great faith in human beings but because the author of agape love, God, is still working through us to make such things possible. May it be so (the long way of saying “amen.”)