There’s a reason the once very well known story of the Princess and the Pea was well known. (Is it today? I am not sure) And why to some certain degree the Matrix (mentioned in last post) also retains a great deal of popularity and noteworthiness.
On the surface perhaps, the Princess and the Pea appears to deal with the prerogatives of the entitled to be troubled by the smallest of matters. A princess cannot get a good night’s sleep, leading to complaint over a pea placed beneath the hundred mattresses she spent the night upon. It was far too “lumpy” for her Princess-ly sensibilities and sensitivities.
The Matrix, on the other hand, seems entirely in address of matters not related at all, And for the most part I’d have to agree. Why mention either? Or both?
On the most fundamental level of their overall address of plot and character, they seem unrelated. Yet both hold some story about man; and mustn’t every (to us) good story be so? As a colleague in radiology once said “No one’s X-rays interest a person more than their own”. It seems if there is no element of “us-ness” about a thing we rarely find it interesting. Things unrelate-able to us (or seen so) rarely summon attention. And conversely the more related in effect to us…the more attention is summoned. We care when the hurricane’s cone includes our hamlet.
My question then might be…what provokes attention?
The segment of The Matrix presents a knowing speaker and an unknowing man. She mentions to the man to be unconcerned about a vase, a vase of which he is not even aware till mentioned. But in response to her now mention of it he asks “what vase?” and turns to look for it; and in so, clumsily knocks it over. He apologizes for its breaking to which she says “I said don’t worry about it”. She already knew all that would happen…even before his apology she granted “space” that he needn’t worry about…of which she also later reminded him.
And she tells him shortly thereafter in her knowing as coming up against all his own unknowing (doubts, questions, puzzlement at entrance to a “place” where he is being shown insufficient in all) that in particular what will “bake his noodle” will be to consider if he would have broken it if she did not mention it.
She spoke first…consequence followed. (This should at least have some relate ability to any “us” of as believer) Shall I belabor it?
The Princess and the Pea?
Attention.
A pea under 100 mattresses is enough to deprive of sleep. It matters not if there be 100 or 1000 “Perfect Comfort Sleepers” between us and the tiniest bump. Once we feel it, as a burr under a saddle blanket…we are all uncomfortable. We buck, we bray, we move about with sole intention of ridding of that particular irritant that now garners all focus. And if we do (have you not found?) “get rid” of that troubling matter…it is mostly…so we can go on to find or deal with the next that now ascends to “first place”. “I broke my leg…O! my, how terrible…I must see the doctor”. Now my leg is set and safely in a cast…and now I can “go back to” cleaning the smudge on my refrigerator where I previously slipped on some spilled juice. And on and on. Things problematic, large or small, get our attention. From peas under mattresses to saving the planet. From hangnails to the most dread diagnosis. Any one thing can be the biggest problem at any particular time, even an all consuming problem at any one time…depending upon whether it is made to be “in our sight”; that is, presented to our knowing. “Oh, my! my whites are dingy!” “My lawn is not full and green”.
“I think my appendix just burst”.
Of all the trees in the garden thou mayest freely eat…but…(is your noodle baking?)
You see…there’s a thing…that no matter how much it is given…something it finds has a compulsion over it. Or under it, or all around it. Or is inescapably immersed in compulsion. There’s always the one thing…to us problematic. There’s something about clay…about being the dust of the earth…with consciousness. Very, very, problematic. Knowing stuff…is terribly problematic. So much so that only one can handle it, the one who knowingly put and made consciousness in clay.
All we can do is dig deeper holes for ourselves.
It’s far too late for any of us to spit out the fruit, (would we have eaten if not being told…to not to?) to repair the vase…it doesn’t matter…we did eat, we did break. Someone spoke and…consequence.
But what can we do then…is there anything…anything a man can find…”given” for the even deeper (and more dire) consequences encountered of consciousness in clay??
Has that Speaker who knows of all consequence to His speaking…convinced?
Something needs mercy for not at all being comfortable in clay. Of dust. Compelled to be. Formed to be. Made…to be. And can only make more problems…for itself.
Simplify.
Listen if you can…God doesn’t mind being your problem. Call it mystery if you prefer. The overall engaging one. After all, problem(s) get attention. And He is the only “good one”.
Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
Do you not know that what you most fear, is most problematic to you, is most mysterious to you…already has your attention?
What benefit is there to being full of such singular fear? Isn’t it better to seek to escape it? (I speak as a man)
You’d have to see this One.
Me, too.
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
How many things do you/we see wrong? Might it even be that we see…wrongly?
Who would have that covered already...before we even turned to eat…or break?
Only the one who knew we would.
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