“Don’t say, ‘Why were the earlier days better than these?’ Because you do not inquire wisely about this matter” (Ecclesiastes 7:10).
It’s hard to reach forward and backward at the same time. Yet I fear this is what we too often try to do. We say we’re moving on, but the pull of nostalgia can grip our hearts so strongly that we end up trying to make the world the way it was used to be rather than as it is Needed To be, as if “were” and “ought to be” were absolutely synonymous. The net effect of our efforts in life is often greater backwards than forwards.
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, and not many people love it more than I do. But old memories should be handled with care. If we are not careful, it can hinder our journey towards God. So here are some tips for enjoying the past in a helpful, healthy way.
(1) Whatever good work has been done in the past, today is the day when any new work can be done. We can enjoy the past, and we can certainly learn from it. But yesterday’s work has already been done, and that work will not be enough for today. Thinking about the past (or anything else for that matter) cannot be a substitute for action. . . Today.
(2) We should learn to be grateful to the past without worshiping it. Having the right view of the past, present and future is a matter of balance. If there are good things about the past, we should love those things neither too little nor too much. Maintaining that balance requires frequent adjustments.
(3) Even if the past was in some ways better than the present, it is useless to wonder why. None of us – not even philosophers – have enough information to answer the question, “Why is the world changing the way it is?” The farmer should continue sowing seeds and should not worry too much about why the weather changes.
When we start thinking “Why were the earlier days better than these?” We need to understand that the past was actually not as wonderful as we remember it. After all, our memories are quite selective, remembering some pleasant things and forgetting others that were not so pleasant. So even though the good old days do our hearts good to think about, they are not very good as a goal for the future.
“For centuries people have dreamed of a golden age and wished for its return, unaware that they dreamed of a day that never came” (Guy E. Shipler).
Gary Henry – WordPoints.com AreYouaChristian.com
