This is one of those hard sayings of Jesus. One where people try to dismiss the "hate life" part with rather vague arguments based more on feelings than logic. However, let me offer another perspective.
If we engage in reckless self-indulgence and it leads only to emptiness, which it often does. We will likely start to hate life.
If we devout our life to acquiring wealth yet we live in constant fear of losing it. So much so that we are in a constant state of guarding and adding to said wealth that we have no time to enjoy it, we will likely begin to hate life.
If we devote our life to acquiring acceptance, approval, validation, and inclusion we will soon discover trying to control how people feel about us is futile. Not to mention all the ways we inevitably compromise ourselves in doing so. Again, we will likely hate life because of it.
If we look to people and relationships to feel complete, and the people we look to will likely be doing the same right back at us. Yet, we find their expectations unrealistic and overwhelming. So this incongruence often leaves people disillusioned and hating life.
If none of that works for us, we may look to drugs and alcohol to cope, but such people always end up hating life. Just look at how many celebrities end up on this path, despite the fact they seem to have everything this "life" has to offer.
But sometimes, through it all, we realize this life is but a drop in the ocean of eternity. That in the end, this moral life separates us from God. That all these treasures and creature comforts we value in this world mean nothing in God’s kingdom. That what we really need to focus on is our mission in this life that builds for us treasures in heaven, and ultimately closer to God. Treasures we cannot possibly begin to comprehend. (1st Corinthians 2:9)
Yes, we need a place to live, clothes on our back, food on the table, and a time to rest our mortal bodies. However, those are all means to the end. Not the goal. When we get the means confused for the goal, and fixate on the drop, instead of the ocean. Our wholeness and peace of mind inevitably suffer for it. When our wholeness suffers, so does our mission. When our mission suffers, so does our real treasure. Through it all, we can end up hating life while we are still in it.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -Matthew 6:19-21
You may notice a very Ecclesiastes vibe to this post. A book many people have a hard time with as well. However, I suggest you try reading through it again with Jesus' opening words in mind. May I suggest The Message translation. Most other translations, even the very literal word-for-word ones go too far and try to interrupt the very poetic words for you. In this case, The Message is far more accurate.
The Visual PARABLEist
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