DELUSIONAL RHINO

"Aw, that's cute...and sad."

That was pretty much what I said in my head when I first saw this picture.

A rhino running his tail off on a treadmill in order to eventually look like a unicorn --  his goal is understandable, his effort is valiant, but it's all in vain. He'll never become a unicorn, no matter how much he runs.

In this illustration I see a simple reflection of us. Though we may be loath to confess it, we spend much of our lives on some kind of treadmill working toward some kind of improved version of ourselves. Most times these endeavors are selfish -- even evil. We try to reshape ourselves in order to fit the constructs of expectations set by those around us or ourselves, for misguided purposes. The end goals may seem admirable, but it's all a poor use of the precious time and energy we're allotted on this earth. It seems to me that most of us are prodigal in these matters, spending inordinate portions of our lives chasing these unattainable or self-indulgent objectives that always end in vanity, destitution and new treadmills.

Sometimes, however, these endeavors are good -- even holy. We desire to become more faithful in certain aspects of our lives; we work hard at calibrating our souls to the moral compass placed in our hearts; we try our best to balance our offenses with sufficient atonement. But even in these things, we often become so focused on ourselves, our narrow visions and our efforts that we lose our way and find ourselves on the same treadmills again and again.

In both cases, we forget how worthless our sweat is.

But if there is comfort to be had here, it's that both of these wayward paths share the same correction: We must come to grips with who we are and accept what we need -- we must stop fooling ourselves. The poster is too modest, the treadmill too small, our starting point too bereft. Our eyes must be fixed higher, our souls must be rooted in what's been done for us and our hearts must embrace the promise of what will be. We are to work harder for loftier goals, yet lean less on what we do on the way there.

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." - C.S. Lewis

Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. - 2 Corinthians 3:15-18 ESV

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. - 1 John 3:1-3 ESV

O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works. - Isaiah 26:12 ESV