subject: Elementary Faith Study Number One - Elan [print this page] The lack of elan for the spirit of faith is seen clearly in the objection of those who would judge a physical existence, the prelude to eternal life, as an unnecessary burden of sacrifice lacking any redeeming qualities.
They are like children who believe that eternal life is owed to them or that they should begin their working careers at the top of the ladder without any proof of commitment, knowledge, or desire to improve. This can and often does lead to taking what doesn't belong to them causing great havoc to others and self in their later years of life.
This is the height of conceit and pride of self; void of any responsibility or personal relationship with the Creator or another human being. They rather consider themselves as indispensable, pivotal, and ego centric to their own selfish paradigm of worth; this may even be their sole reason for existence and at that, they may effectively believe that this is their soul gratuitously granting them life. So, others who are not fortunate enough to think as they do are peons in the world and deserve, though undeservedly, to bask in their radiance.
In my lifetime I have known of several people, who wished to work, or so they spouted rather boisterously and somewhat convincingly, however, they would only work if they could start as head engineer, headmaster, or president of the company for which they were applying. In reality, they were saying that they truly did not want to work at what they considered demeaning or manual labor which they found highly offensive to their highly-respected ideals of themselves as valued, VIP, persons, and so, they simply did not apply because they had already assumed the outcome.
Now, with this said, I grant, that it is good to have a healthy sense of pride for one's talents and those talents should be cultivated and improved giving pleasure and goodness to humanity as a whole, while realizing the true dispenser of those gifts, God. Also, let us remember the power of the gospel and the giver of elan for the spirit of faith, and the equality of the brilliance of the eternal soul.
