Another Day in Paradise

Working at Starbucks I get to hear a lot of folks small talk about life. Often, rather very often, the conversation goes something like this:

"Good Morning!  How are you today?"

"Can't complain just another day in paradise."

"I know we are so blessed aren't we?"

"Beautiful day again."

"Sure is!"

Another day in paradise.

Truly the Central Coast in beautiful.  Just last weekend I visited Montana de Oro and was stunned by the jagged shale rocks and fierce water jolting up against them.  Breathtaking!

Yet...my heart often does a double-take when I hear that phrase, another day in paradise.

Is it?

I'm challenged by this...

So often we as humans take comfort in nice things--beautiful places, pleasantries with people, securities from job & home.  But often this means attaching to things in a way that damages our soul.  Taking too much comfort in a place, a person, financial security, a way of life and we miss the true treasures Jesus taught about because we're too busy trying to secure life for ourselves.

I am soooo guilty of this.

Jesus says our striving, our comforts, our demands that life work and be easy, this steals from the very life He wants to offer us.

I am not saying there aren't great blessings, vast beauty, and abundant life here and now, rather that we need to regularly check-in internally at the subtleties in our heart.  We must pay attention when we are not willing to let something go or we are unwilling to look at reality square in the face because the blind eye is safer.

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life." (Mark 10:29-30)

Now Jesus isn't saying any of these things in and of themselves are bad, rather he is illuminating our attachments and fear of giving things up.  Which exposes where our hearts truly think life is found.

Jesus longs to be the center of our life, whatever the cost (and there will be costs). But He also says in counting the costs, in letting these attachments go, we will receive a blessing way beyond those things--something eternal.  

Jesus knows a way far superior to ours, the way of life with God. And He says, "Come follow."

But will we?  Will I?

So I pose to you and just as certainly to me this question...are we willing to see beyond "another day in paradise" and look for true treasures in this life?

p.s. The lyrics of a song by Phil Collins did a great job of capturing this reality.  Will we open our eyes and truly see?

She calls out to the man on the street
“Sir, can you help me?
It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?”
He walks on, doesn’t look back
He pretends he can’t hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there

Oh
Think twice
‘Cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh
Think twice
‘Cause it’s another day for you
You and me in paradise
(Do think about it)

She calls out to the man on the street
He can see she’s been crying
She’s got blisters on the soles of her feet
She can’t walk but she’s trying

Oh
Think twice
‘Cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh
Think twice
It’s just another day for you
You and me in paradise

Just think about it

Oh lord!
Is there nothing more anybody can do?
Oh-oh whoa lord!
There must be something you can say
You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that she’s been there
Probably been moved on from every place
Cause she didn’t fit in there

Oh
Think twice
‘Cause it’s another day for you and me in paradise
Oh
Think twice
It’s just another day for you
You and me in paradise