Not Really Scripture

Scripture References: Genesis 3:2-4; Romans 7:24-25

In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius praised his father as a man who could appreciate, without pride or apology, whatever good came to him. What he possessed he enjoyed; what he couldn’t have he never missed. Attributing to his father a compliment first made to Socrates, Aurelius said his father could abstain from temptations others couldn’t resist and enjoy in moderation pleasures other sought in excess.

All this sounds very much like Paul’s statements in Philippians 4:12 about knowing how to be abased and how to abound. Paul enjoyed his possessions but was never possessed by them. There is a difference, however, between Paul and Aurelius. Aurelius gained his personal views from stoicism and reason. Paul’s source of peace was Jesus Christ, not his own ability to calmly adjust to the gains or losses in life. Aurelius would staunchly oppose any threat to his self-sufficiency. Paul would bless whatever shattered his self-sufficiency to make him dependent on grace. lie would never claim for himself qualities that come only from God.

Courtesy of Speaker’s Sourcebook of New Illustrations by Virgil Hurley © 1995 by Word, Incorporated.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV © 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
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