Changes, and some Bunyan

First, on a personal note… due to getting busier at work as well as the start of school, I will only be posting somewhere around once a week going into this fall and winter. However I do still greatly appreciate your patronage and I will check the blog daily to reply to comments and for general housekeeping.

Second, I am reading John Bunyan’s classic The Pilgrim’s Progress, which is the second most popular book in history after the Bible. I am still early on in the story, but I am already in awe of the clarity that can emerge through this story enveloped in allegory. As an example, check out the dialog between Christian, the main character who is on a journey seeking God, and the Interpreter, who is discussing Christian’s journey to this point and the fruits of the characteristics of Passion and Patience:

Then said Christian, “now I see that Patience has the best Wisdom, and that upon many accounts. 1. Because he stays for the best things. 2. And also because he will have the glory of His [God’s] when the other hath nothing but Raggs.”

Interpreter: “Nay, you mad add another; to wit, The glory of the next world will never wear out; but these are suddenly gone. Therefore Passion had not so much reason to laugh at Patience, because he had his good things first, as Patience will have to laugh at Passion, because he had his best things last; for first must give place to last, because last must have his time to come, but last gives place to nothing; for there is not another to succeed:

“He therefore that hath his Portion first, must needs have a time to spend it; but he that has his Portion last, must have it lastingly. Therefore it is said of Dives [Luke 16], In thy life thou receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and though are tormented.”

May we never be blinded of eternity because of the allure of the present, or trade the eternal riches of heaven for wispy gain in this life!