I hope you’ll forgive an illustration from Greek mythology. I heard it used very aptly recently by a bishop. It featured the sirens, fabulous nymphs who lured sailors to destruction by their irresistible sweet singing. The Greek hero, Odysseus, having to pass close by their abode ordered his sailors to fill their ears with wax and tie him to the mast so he could hear but not go after the sirens; the seafarers all escaped, but with huge agony for Odysseus. Another Greek hero passing the same way, Orpheus, simply played even sweeter music and drowned out the sirens; he and his companions also escaped, but in much better manner. The dictionary defines the word sirens as “charming temptresses”.
What a picture of the world in which we live! In our own generation it is full of sirens, sounding out their compelling songs, calling us to follow pathways that are destructive. We have featured them often enough in this column by way of warning; profiteering, unrestrained sex, material possessions, unlimited feasting and pleasure etc. They are not, however, just at one small part of our life’s journey; unfortunately they accompany us every day, and much of the time. The media make sure of that, being the trumpet for such alluring “songs”. And there is no question of the fact that they are alluring, very alluring to the unwary.
We cannot keep wax in our ears all the time, neither can we be so tied down that we can’t physically respond. What we need is, like Orpheus, a better, a sweeter song. Like him we need to keep the better song in our minds all the time. When something better than temptation is sounding in our ears, temptation loses its attraction, and even becomes a matter of distaste.
We’ve actually been given such a song; that is the astonishing thing about our faith in Jesus. This new song is a song about “the beauty of holiness”. In coming to Him we are awakened to the sheer beauty of a godly and righteous life, a “pearl of great price” and something to really sing about. There are a lot of things in the world that are beautiful but never appreciated, and an upright character is one of them. True conversion is to have a clear perception of that and to have an eager personal desire to share in such beauty.
The true follower of Jesus has an eagerness to live as He lived because it is so wholesome, so good to see and so releasing of joy and peace in the innermost being. Those who follow will spend a great deal of their time looking in the mirror, but at their heart, not just their outward appearance that takes precedence in the modern world. They will spend much time thinking on “whatsoever is beautiful and whatsoever is of good report”.
In this way we have a much more powerful music that the sirens of the world; we move much more safely through the world; we are aware of the world’s music, but it is so distasteful in comparison that we recoil from it.
Bob
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What a picture of the world in which we live! In our own generation it is full of sirens, sounding out their compelling songs, calling us to follow pathways that are destructive. We have featured them often enough in this column by way of warning; profiteering, unrestrained sex, material possessions, unlimited feasting and pleasure etc. They are not, however, just at one small part of our life’s journey; unfortunately they accompany us every day, and much of the time. The media make sure of that, being the trumpet for such alluring “songs”. And there is no question of the fact that they are alluring, very alluring to the unwary.
We cannot keep wax in our ears all the time, neither can we be so tied down that we can’t physically respond. What we need is, like Orpheus, a better, a sweeter song. Like him we need to keep the better song in our minds all the time. When something better than temptation is sounding in our ears, temptation loses its attraction, and even becomes a matter of distaste.
We’ve actually been given such a song; that is the astonishing thing about our faith in Jesus. This new song is a song about “the beauty of holiness”. In coming to Him we are awakened to the sheer beauty of a godly and righteous life, a “pearl of great price” and something to really sing about. There are a lot of things in the world that are beautiful but never appreciated, and an upright character is one of them. True conversion is to have a clear perception of that and to have an eager personal desire to share in such beauty.
The true follower of Jesus has an eagerness to live as He lived because it is so wholesome, so good to see and so releasing of joy and peace in the innermost being. Those who follow will spend a great deal of their time looking in the mirror, but at their heart, not just their outward appearance that takes precedence in the modern world. They will spend much time thinking on “whatsoever is beautiful and whatsoever is of good report”.
In this way we have a much more powerful music that the sirens of the world; we move much more safely through the world; we are aware of the world’s music, but it is so distasteful in comparison that we recoil from it.
Bob
To make a comment: click on word “comments” below, write your comment in the white box which appears and add your name and e mail address (if you wish), choose “select profile”, click “anonymous” and then continue.
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