Brian Carpenter just brought some of his experiences and the WLC together in a way that I thought was excellent. I appreciated it. Read the whole thing. Here is the summary.
http://christianreader.com/2010/06/the-joy-of-knowing-your-place/
http://christianreader.com/2010/06/the-joy-of-knowing-your-place/
The Westminster Divines had something to say about all of this. In their meditations on the Fifth Commandment (Honor thy father and thy mother) they describe the human family as a network of relationships between inferiors, superiors, and equals. We each fulfill these roles in our various social relationships and we each have duties to perform in those roles. Listen to what they say in the Larger Catechism:
Q. 131. What are the duties of equals?
A. The duties of equals are, to regard the dignity and worth of each other, in giving honor to go one before another; and to rejoice in each others’ gifts and advancement, as their own.
Q. 132. What are the sins of equals?
A. The sins of equals are, besides the neglect of the duties required, the undervaluing of the worth, envying the gifts, grieving at the advancement or prosperity one of another; and usurping preeminence one over another.
And again, in the Tenth Commandment, they touch on this theme.
Q. 146. Which is the tenth commandment?
A. The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s.
Q. 147. What are the duties required in the tenth commandment?
A. The duties required in the tenth commandment are, such a full contentment with our own condition, and such a charitable frame of the whole soul toward our neighbor, as that all our inward motions and affections touching him, tend unto, and further all that good which is his.
Q. 148. What are the sins forbidden in the tenth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the tenth commandment are, discontentment with our own estate; envying and grieving at the good of our neighbor, together with all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.
My discontent with my lot in life was a sin. Alex, Wes, and Lane were God’s tools for showing me the path of repentance. Once I understood what was going on, I repented. I’m a lot happier since I made my peace with being who I am and how God made me. I’m surrounded by smarter people, thinner people, better looking people, and richer people. I’m happy with how God has made me, and I’ve even begun to learn to be happy with how God has made them.
