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Monday, June 05, 2006
Alipio: Good for nothings
By Fr. Jose Alipio
Lifelines
Jeremiah 13:1-11
JEREMIAH was a prophet who was taught by object lessons. On one occasion, the Lord instructed him to purchase a fine linen loincloth and wear it for a while. He later told Jeremiah to take the loincloth into the wilderness and hide it in a cleft of a large rock. After a long time, the Lord again spoke to Jeremiah and told him to retrieve the loincloth. Of course, by this time the loincloth was rotted by exposure to the elements. It was literally good for nothing. The Lord used this experience to teach Jeremiah what happens to wicked people who ignore his word, who break his commandments, who forsake his ways. God lets them rot. They become like the loincloth that was good for nothing. Their usefulness is destroyed by their neglect of the things of the Lord.
This story calls to mind a well-known warning about mental or physical ability - "Use it or lose it!" Muscles that are not used grow flaccid and weak. Neglected long enough, they become good for nothing. Brains that are not exercised grow torpid and dim. Ignored long enough, they become good for nothing. It's a law of life - you have to remain active to be healthy. We are not made for a lifetime of leisure and relaxation. We are made to strive against the limits of our physical and mental abilities. We do our children no favor if we excuse them from struggling with their homework. That's the way brainpower is built. We now know that the brain grows in size and complexity throughout the years of childhood in the same way that the body grows in size and strength. "Use it or lose it!" is no mere clever phrase. It's a law of life!
(June 5, 2006 issue)
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