Among Tolstoy's works is a novel called 'Two People'. You may learn some lessons even though it is not a real story: It is about what man lives with. This should be Tolstoy’s concerns or interests. A story introduced two people, who left their pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
A person called Ephim is a man who is thorough in self-management, and who does everything perfectly. And he was rich in his village. Elysee, on the other hand, was an ordinary person without any special. They left pilgrimage together. However, they were separated by chance in the middle of pilgrimage. Ephim continued the pilgrimage, and Elysee had to return home because of a short of money for the journey.
The story told about where he spent his money. He used his money to save a family from dying. It was not his original plan. At first, he visited a house to get a glass of water. He saw that a family nearly died because of starvation. So, Elysee shared his bread with them in pureness of heart. And for those who could not move, he had to get some water from the wells. He could not leave their homes since they were sick. Thus, he made some food for them for several days. Later on, he had a desire to provide an infrastructure for them to live: he bought a horse and flour etc. As a result, Elysee had spent almost all of his money for his pilgrimage. So, he had to go back to his house. He thought that he made a plan to go to pilgrimage the Holy Land, but the Lord might not allow him to visit there.
What happened to the family that Elysee took care of? The behind story of this family is to be known by Ephim. He met that family on his way home. Ephim learned that the family who was helped by Elysee live healthy and happy. After he came back home, he met Elysee again. He realized something through Elysee’s life.
'Until that day when we are born and die in the world, we must fulfill our duty by love and good deed. And that is the will of God.'
When I read Tolstoy's novel "Two People," it seems to make me think a lot. Though the story is made up, I could read Tolstoy's concerns, looking for the meaning of life as the contrast between the person who seeks his benefit and the person who did not. The story of Ephim and Elysee is also a likely story that can be found easily around us. I thought that the questions in the story of 'two people' are also the questions of modern Christians, like us.
What does man live with? It seems to be meaningful to change the question "What do modern Christians live with?"
When I read Tolstoy's works, there are always messages in it. It seems as though Tolstoy wrote a novel in which he read and understood the Bible. Especially in the reality, we thought that it is the small good works that we do not take care, but Tolstoy realizes that God is worthy for our small good works. What should we live with?
'Until that day when we are born and die in the world, we must fulfill our duty by love and good deed. And that is the will of God. '
Do you agree with this Ephim's awareness? Do you agree with Tolstoy's awareness? I hope that you are able to reply with Amen.
In fact, the world we live in think that it is wise to live for our own personal interests. Therefore, it is recognized that a person like Ephim, but not Elysee. But our Christians have concerns because the message from the world and that of the Lord is different. In fact, there is no worry if we do not care about the Lord's words. But we are worried because we are trying to obey the teaching of the Lord, but not the teachings of the world.
The world says that it is wise to seek own personal interests. In fact, it is true in somehow. It is because self-management is replaced by the word that pursues self-interest. But the problem is when we think only of ourselves, but not others. Humans have a tendency to be very selfish side. Yes, it is true for me. There are times when I think only of myself and do not care about others. Then, I regret doing conflict because the word of the Lord became a sword.
The apostle Paul said that love is not self-seeking. The term 'self-seeking” is used to process to satisfy self-desire without boundary. We may be also selfish.
The book of 1 Kings tells the story of Naboth's vineyard. It is also the story of Ahab and Jezebel, the evil king of northern Israel. Ahab loved the beautiful vineyard next to the palace. But the problem is that Naboth, the owner of the vineyard, refused any suggestion of consensus because the land was descended from ancestors. Ahab wanted to have Naboth’s vineyard, but he could not have it. Thus, Ahab lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat. Jezebel, the wife of Ahab, who knew this, plotted that Naboth cursed both God and the king, and stoned him to death. To fulfill their selfish desires, they did the terrible thing. It is also a demonstration that a person with power can pursue his own personal interest and do such an evil thing without hesitation.
Nowadays, “Me Too” movement spread as a hashtag used on social media to help demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the workplace. The movement revealed that some of the most powerful man had sexually harassed or sexually abused. It should check the fact, but some powerful people are embarrassed by the “Me Too” movement, and some people go to jail because of their crime. It seems that people are shocked because they are being socially respected and receiving attention by others. And if you think about the reason why this happened, the common thing you can find is 'seeking for your own interest, but not consider others'. They didn’t stop their selfishness. Perhaps they believed that they might have an authority or power to do such a bad thing for themselves.
These articles alarm me. I talk to myself, “Be careful”. We should always be careful. Because we human beings have the possibility to do anything to pursue their own personal interests. The “Me Too” movement seems to show the end of those who seek their own interests. We must remember how embarrassing it is when the sins of those who have been secretly self-seeking are told.
The Apostle Paul said that love is not self-seeking. Today's text tells you more specifically: “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Because we are used to looking at our own interests.”
I had a chance to take a family picture when I went to Korea. Because my family members came to Korea after a long time, all family members came together. After taking that picture, my family came back to America. Later, my brother sent a good picture that he picked. Do you know what means good? It was a good picture because my brother’s family was clear. Other family members seemed uninterested. Actually, we say that it's a really good picture if we look better than others. This is who we are. We are used to seeking the interests of ourselves. So, looking at someone else requires training. And the Lord has commanded us to do the work.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
This is what the Lord has given us through the Apostle Paul. Can we obey the word of the Lord? Looking back on one's work can be described as self-management, but the Lord is telling us to look back on the work of others, not stop there. Do you have willing that you will not live with self-seeking?
There is a man who lived not to seek his own interests. It is Jesus Christ. He was suffered and insulted for us, who were his enemies because of our sins. He was crucified for us. He has abandoned his interests. But the Lord has shown that it is not the end because he was resurrected. Because the Lord has given up his interests, we are free. As the Lord gave up His interests, we were healed. The Lord has given up His interests so that we can reconcile with God, the Father. When someone gives up his or her own interests, it shows that a lot of people benefit, and that is what the Lord is pleased with in the end, and how people should live in this world.
Can we imitate the Lord? Do we have the belief that living like Elysee will be good for us? Do we have the belief that living as the Lord's Word is right? This belief leads us to the place of obedience.
But our will is not enough. We need absolutely the help of the Lord. That's why we pray. We need to declare that we died and the Lord live in us.
What God has given us is to practice love. In fact, we are training not to seek our own interest at home. That is why the Lord gave us children. Parents did not ask for their own interests because the joy from the children is so great. Yes. Parents received great awards through their children. This is what the Lord wants us to realize. That is also why the Lord has bound us to a husband and wife. Living as a husband and wife is a discipline that is not self-seeking. That is a way that the couple can live.
Our nature is to seek for our own personal interest, so that we may try our best to get it; However, if we obey the word of the Lord, we may try not to ask for our own interests only. If we don’t ask for our own personal interests, love will spread on this world. If we become interested in our own personal interests only, many people become tired. If we focus on the Lord, many people will benefit. This is our faith.
Love is not asking for self-seeking. Our Lord asks us to consider others. I hope that the words of the Lord will dominate our lives. I hope that we will become like Him. So, I hope that a loving family, a loving church becomes our home, our church.
Do you know what the characteristics in the last days? People will be lovers of themselves.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, (2 Tim. 3: 1-2).”
God bless you!