WINSDAY WISDOM Session 6 RECYCLED TESTS

The Most Important Thing in Life

CHAPTER 6   RECYCLED TESTS 

Sometimes we fail to pay attention to where we are and become blind to what life is truly about. When God questions us, we fail the test.

Recently, when my wife and I cleaned out the attic, I stopped to look through some old scrapbooks and keepsakes. I smiled at one professor’s comments posted on the front of my physics’ final exam: If ignorance is bliss, then you will have a very happy life!

Someone needs to invent a font for sarcasm! My wife thought it was funny. I quickly decided to trash that little blue book in the recycle bin so my kids would never see it. I imagine physicists around the globe would appreciate my part in saving our climate.

Another blue book contained my college humanities test. I remember well the struggle to identify the picture of the bust we had seen during the art gallery tour.

I scrambled for descriptive words to explain that the sculpture was from an early period before sculptures became more refined in the Renaissance Age. Especially notable was the crude, underdevelopment of the eyes which appeared archaic and expressionless.

The professor wrote next to my remarks in large red letters. This is Homer and he was blind!!!

Apparently, my answer was wrong. To clarify, Homer is the presumed composer of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems which are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. The marble bust in the test was from second century AD, a Roman copy of the Greek original.

The artistic interpretation of Homer’s blind eyes is considered masterful. My answer was not.

I was disheartened about the discovery of this test book since I was fairly certain I preserved only the better college test results. Oh, well, another blue book joined the conservation effort. Save our planet! Save our planet!

One can survive ignorance in art or sports or economics. However, spiritual ignorance will never produce a happy life. It helps if you know and understand the questions on the test.

The spiritual tests in life are always recycled. The first and most important question from God was directed to the first man, Adam. It will be the same question on your test. “Where are you?” (#1 Textbook).                                                                       

Adam was created to stay side by side with God for his ultimate good; so were you. However, at some point, Adam thought he could do better without God. Instead of happiness, he discovered something he had never known, devastating disappointment. 

“Where are you?”

You cannot fake your way through the answer or dispose of the evidence. The length of your answer or its creativity will never impress the Divine Professor.

Ignorance will not lead to happiness. Blindness to your spiritual whereabouts never hides your location from God. Blame or criticism of others never gets a do-over or an excuse pass.

“Where are you?” That was the question which introduced me to my first Zoom call of little boxes filled with little faces. I had seen funny videos posted of Zoom-gone-wrong stuff like the lady who went to the bathroom, the man in his suitcoat and speedo, and the judge with the face of a cat, all of which exposed their internet ineptitude while they remained unaware of the technical idiosyncrasies being watched by others in their virtual group meetings.

My computer screen looked like Hollywood Squares freaked out on crack withdrawal. Panic and anxiety covered the screen with people asking questions while others spouted out commands. I strained to match the voice with the right face. My vision blurred; my interest waned. I just wanted to be unseen and unheard. Present, but unavailable. However, the moderator kept calling my name and repeatedly saying, “Where are you?”

God’s tests are recycled. The first question on God’s test is always, “Where are you?”

It is never a question seeking information because the Divine Professor knows where you are and why you are there. The test question is for your contemplation of what is wrong with this picture.

God was not hiding from Adam. Adam was hiding from God because he ignored God’s directions to stay side by side for lasting happiness. Instead, he went in the wrong direction searching for greater good somewhere else. Like so many of us, Adam failed and did not want to face the consequences. He just desired to disappear.

What went wrong? Could it be fixed? That is exactly what God’s question calls for us to consider.

Every path of self-seeking pleasure we choose to pursue has already been tried and proven futile. Every self-serving activity or achievement we accomplish is verifiably void of lasting happiness.

This world’s monopoly game has a fatal design flaw. The chase circle comes up empty every time we pass “Go.” Wedo not collect two hundred dollars and we must forfeit all temporary happiness. We end up with nothing.

Have you ever gone snipe hunting? The prank became a rite of passage in my neck of the woods, all part of growing up. The adults or friends issue the challenge and arm the rookie hunter with a sack or pillowcase to catch the elusive snipe. Then they assign a prime location, usually characterized by isolation and darkness.

My first experience in snipe hunting was orchestrated by my dad and uncle. All the little cousins were equipped with sacks which were returned in the same condition, empty.

My uncle shamed us for our lack of determination and perseverance. My older cousin began to cry, but I vowed to go back into the darkness of my grandmother’s garden and return with a sack of fresh snipe.

Real snipe are hunted in southern marshes. The small, long-billed game bird is difficult to flush and characterized by its erratic flight pattern. It normally requires a highly skilled marksman, a sniper, to shoot the bird.

However, I hunted in an imaginary world without snipe, and I was highly skilled at catching air in a pillowcase. Several hours later, my Dad found me and relayed the truth. There were no snipe where we lived. So, I began to cry.

Adam cried as well. His monogrammed ‘Happy Meal sack’ remained empty. His misguided adventure was as unproductive as my hunt, a vivid picture of the vanity of earth’s pleasures. The search for happiness apart from God ends up like all snipe hunts. Foolish futility. There is no advantage to bigger sacks or stronger stamina. 

Happiness apart from God is an imaginary snipe hunt. To continue the futile search of self-centered love is spiritual insanity.

God promised Adam and Eve and us He will never withhold what is good for us. The first God-created man and woman took for granted what was good for them. They began to doubt the #1 Textbook.

The first man and woman living in perfect Paradise entertained thoughts that maybe God was not essentially and eternally good.

They began to use something God gave all of us—imagination—but used it for the wrong thing, to create a virtual reality of what life might be like if they were free from their God-given limitations.

Why did Adam and Eve depart from the side of God to venture into a world of their creation, the imaginary world of not? Their wrong test answer matches yours and mine. Every snipe-hunter of happiness is lured into the wild in search of something that does not exist…lasting happiness away from God’s side.

How ironic that this hunt for happiness became the ill-fated pursuit of the only man and woman who ever lived in a perfect world with perfect people surrounded by God’s abundant goodness!

They did not “see” reality in their minds. In a world created for perfect happiness, they imagined a virtual reality world where they were NOT happy.

Think about that! It is a key lesson for test preparation and every recycled test, especially your recycled tests.

The imaginary world of NOT is at the epicenter of self-absorption. It disorients us and distorts spiritual reality, causing us to run in circles chasing the wind. Our mental home becomes the imaginary world of not, where we imagine we are NOT happy and things are NOT going to work out for our good, and we are NOT better off staying close to God.

So, we convince ourselves to try someone, something, or somewhere else for happiness.

The imaginary world of not can exist only in a mind focused on loving Self first and foremost.

Our minds deceive us to entertain thoughts that maybe we are NOT genuinely happy with how God made us, or where God placed us, or with whom God placed us.

We begin to create our own imaginary world of not. “The boss does NOT like me.” “I am NOT getting a fair chance.” “I am NOT happy in this relationship.” “I am NOT getting what I deserve.” “I am NOT getting any respect.”

This is very important:

We listen to ourselves think about the imaginary world of not. You do not have to believe everything you think. Learn to preach to yourself the truth about the most important thing in life.

God is with you and for you. That is reality.

“This is God’s universe, and He does things His way. You may think you have a better way, but you don’t have a universe” (J. Vernon McGee).  

Where are you? Are you side by side with God? God’s question is a wake-up call to come to your senses. It is a coach’s whistle to huddle up.

The first question is always, “Where are you?” Are you side by side with God for your good?

The second question on the Recycled Test is always the same as what God asked Cain, the first man born into a selfish world.

“Where is your brother?” Do you keep him side by side with you for his good? That’s right. For his/her good. That is in your #1 Textbook study notes. We were created to stay side by side with God for our greatest good and to stay side by side with others for their good.

What would God write on your blue test book about how you love others? Do you keep them close by your side? That is where the Love First, Love Most dance starts.

Why do I fail the test? Ignorance and Blindness.

My previous failed tests have been clearly marked. There is no need for scientific study, humanities survey, or philosophical literature to determine the cause.

My critique or disinterest of the personality and performance of others is based solely on self-infatuation with my imaginary world of Not, which leaves me ignorant and blind to the magnificent beauty of the other person.

In love, Ignorance is not bliss and Blindness is not becoming.

Failed tests get recycled. When we do not love others, we get to take the test again. It should be easier next time; but, in fact, our imaginary world of Not makes it more difficult.

Why does that other person keep testing your love and patience and kindness and forgiveness? The tests are recycled. God does not have you on a snipe hunt. The people you encounter are part of God’s test for the day.

God lives in you to lead you to others He intends to love through you. Yes! That person. You know who they are. Mr. Difficult. Miss Different. Mrs. Debate everything. The Expert. The Entertainer. The Executioner.

Take a good, long look at the people around you. Study their eyes. According to the #1 Textbook, that person is God’s masterpiece. If you failed to love them first and most, take the test again.

Recycled Tests. Get out the blue book.

1. Where are you?

Correct Answer: Side by Side with God for my good.

2. Where is the other person?

Correct Answer: Side by Side with me for their good.

3. How do you experience lasting happiness?

Correct Answer: Love First and Love Most.

4. Identify and describe the masterpiece you intend to love first and love most.

LOVE IS NOT BLIND. IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS.

How is lasting happiness tested by God’s question, “Where are you?”

Stay side by side with God for your good. (next session)

Love Anchor 1: Remember the most important thing in life. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength; and love others as yourself.

Love Anchor 2: Love First. Love Most. God lives inside of you to lead you to others He intends to love through you.

Love Anchor 3: Study #1 Textbook. Love for God and love for others lasts forever. The instructions and directions are in the book.

Love Anchor 4: Right Direction Matters. Life is about right direction, not perfection. Course corrections take just one step.