Trivial Pursuit

BRUCE  LICHT

Many people squander their limited, precious time on trivial pursuits. (1)

If you have ever wondered why so many people carry a few extra pounds around their waists, just look at the data regarding how much TV the average person watches. And to what end? They often get flustered about the inconsequential events of strangers such as: “Who is going to get kicked off the island,” or “which bachelor or bachelorette is going to get the rose?” These show contestants are people we don’t know, who don’t care about us, and would pass us by on the street without even a glance. Yet we invest copious hours and heart-wrenching emotion in their stories.

The same scenario applies to professional sports. In most cases, the only reason we root for someone is because of geography—the team they play for represents the city we live in. (2)  What is my advice?  Put down the remote control!

We often elevate meaningless things to paramount importance, and trivialize truly important things that actually matter. Our money, connections, reputations, or the fact that our Fantasy Football Team won do not accompany us for eternity. The only thing that we can take with us beyond the grave is our good deeds.

These excessive, poor uses of our finite existence point to something missing—an abyss that only a connection with God can fill. This misdirection of our valuable energy in temporary, trivial pursuits, while neglecting what is truly enduring, highlights the central human battle with life’s impermanence.

What would the world be like if we all took just some of our “wasted” leisure time and focused more attention on building our connection with God and doing for others?

Legend has it that there once was a Jewish person who passed away and in his “pre-burial will” (how he wanted to be buried) it said, “I want to be buried in my socks.” (3) Now according to Jewish law, you can’t do that, and the family was told, “Sorry, we can’t honor that request.” After the burial service, the “post-burial will” (what he wanted done with his possessions) was read and it said, “You see! You can’t even take your socks with you.” (4)

We fall into the trap of thinking, “it is my car, my house, my boat. They are all mine!” This is a reminder that in actuality, nothing belongs to us, everything is merely on loan.

This universal yearning for something more significant, suggests that there is most likely an alternative reality capable of satisfying that spiritual need, and serves as internal evidence for God’s existence, to whom all things ultimately belong. (5)

A void in one’s life usually reveals a “divine missing piece.” Life should not be like a pointless game of Monopoly or Trivia Pursuit. More “stuff” will not fill the gap and we will never find God by binge-watching TV. Get your priorities straight. Sure, God answers our prayers 100% of the time—It’s just that sometimes, with good reason, His answer is, “Sorry, No.”