Contemplative Bible Reading

1 John 2:16 (New Living Translation)

For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

This is in the first letter from John to different churches. In these sentences, John describes the things the world offers to mankind. A more famous rendition of these words comes from the Kings James Version as:

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1 John 2:16, King James Version

This is the familiar “lust of the flesh and eyes and pride of life.”

God’s creation is wonderful. God’s creation excites the five senses God gave us. Enjoying the wonderful creation is fine and glorious.

“The world” offers something different. The sinful world wants us to crave the creation and dive into it for all the pleasures it has. And if someone else is in the way, too bad for them because I will do to them whatever I have to do so that I get the pleasures of creation. And then I will stand with one foot on their crushed body and shout, “Look at me! I have more of creation than anyone else. I am superior to all those who got in my way!”

That is what the world offers. Smash those who are in my way so I can have more. Look at history. Yep, pretty much describes it from start to finish. Cain got more by smashing Abel. Russian leaders try to get more by smashing Ukraine. Not much has changed.

Want the world and all this? Want peace with God? We can choose. Let’s choose wisely.