Who Are We?

I was driving home with my dad from my friend's house; the night was bitter cold and dark. It was snowing; large white flakes were falling down from the black heavens. The flurries didn't stick, however; the furious wind blew them in clouds above the black asphalt. They swirled in beautful snow-chariots, always moving aimlessly. Never did the wind die, never did the flurries pause in their everlasting patterns of movement. Never.

Yet there were some snow flakes that stuck. Why, I don't know, but these stubborn clumps were scattered about the road. I watched as the wind constantly pulled at them, but they never unstuck, never relented to become one of the others.

The wind-chariots had their base in the wind; they always moved, never achieving peace or rest. But the clumps, they had their base on the road, which was immovable and solid. They stayed; no matter how hard the cruel wind battered against them, they stayed.

While waiting at a long red light, I contemplated this, awed by the beauty. Who am I? I thought. The wind-chariots or the clumps? Do I have my base in something transitory, something that comes and goes, like the wind? Or am I positioned on something more solid? Do I conform to this world, or do I serve the One who has been here before the beginning and will be here after the end?

I've been reading Pride and Prejudice the last few days or so, and the two characters of Miss Bingley and Jane Bennett stuck out to me.

I doubt any of you is ignorant of the two characters, but I will explain them anyway. Miss Bingley is a selfish, shallow, wealthy flirt, and Jane is a happy, confiding, innocent young woman.

Miss Bingley is continually attempting to flirt with Mr. Darcy, and jealous of any who speaks one word to him. She's unwilling to host Lizzy--as she knows Mr. Darcy's feelings for her--even though Lizzy needs to see her sister (who is sick at the Bingleys). Miss Bingley is only concerned about herself, and only has relationships if she can benefit from them.

Jane refuses to see anything but good in others. Lizzy says to her, "Oh! you are a great deal too apt you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in any body. All the world is good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life."

I think we all have a Miss Bingley in us--as well as a Jane. I know that is most definitely true for myself, at least.

But the question is, who are we? We all know that our sinful nature prohibits us from being exactly like Christ as we all would want; but who do we let dominate our spirits? Our Miss Bingley--always complaining, never concerned about others, always flirting, always selfish--or our considerate, kind, loving Jane?

I know who is easier to let dominate. It's clear that being selfish is much more easy then considering others before ourselves. But it is also clear what Jesus would want us to do.

And no matter how hard it is, I know that I will continue to strive after being like Jane--and, more importantly, Jesus.