The quote from Albert Einstein was too good to pass up:
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity, and I’m not sure about the universe.”
Einstein surely lived through an age where human stupidity certainly looked infinite. But today doesn’t look much better. Look at all the fighting and misery occurring in the Middle East right now. It’s not limited to there. There is a lot of hatred in America right now–we just haven’t pulled out all our guns and started shooting each other, yet. Africa is a mess. There are problems throughout Asia.
Among my spiritual disciplines is the discipline to turn off TV news. I scan news from a few trusted sources (which I constantly evaluate to assure that they should be trusted) and then turn it off. It does no good to dwell on all of this. Or the political messes over which I have no influence or control.
Certainly we have known for thousands of years about human stupidity. Check out Proverbs 26.
“Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool.”
“A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools.”
It is like binding a stone in a sling to give honor to a fool.”
Then he hits on lazy people.
Yoda from Star Wars, one of my favorite philosophers, perhaps because he used few words and was straight to the point, said, “Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
I think we are witnessing an awful lot of that. Fear and anger. These are emotions we must all conquer within us. How? The answer is simple and hard–just like all of the Scripture teachings. Ground yourself in a life with God. What then is there to fear if you are with God? And God can quiet your anger.
The Spiritual Disciplines exist to help us focus each day on God. That’s why prayer, meditation and study are best done in the early morning. Then when you slip during the day, you can recall your foundation of the day and relax.
Faith Venture 
Leave a comment