| Dave
and I recently heard a performance of “The Rake’s Progress,” a 1951
opera by Stravinsky. In it, Tom Rakewell’s life spirals
downward. His troubles start when he is tempted by the Devil, but
he also makes a series of really bad choices. He is burdened by
feelings of unworthiness. He is unable to imagine himself worthy
of the love of a good woman, and so he spends his life in moral
decrepitude. He never really enjoys the blessings that life has
to offer. At the other extreme, our society as a whole is steeped in feelings of entitlement. Children expect praise for showing up and gold stars for doing mediocre work. Adults want more and more, even as they contribute less and less. “More” becomes the goal of investment bankers and the rallying cry of politicians. I struggle with reconciling these two competing emotions: unworthiness and entitlement. I think God would frown on both. Feelings of unworthiness prevent us from accepting God’s unconditional grace, but feelings of entitlement nudge us toward greed. For me, the emotion to nurture is humility. Only with a spirit of humility can we be truly surprised by God’s gifts and then graciously accept them. |
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