“Shangri-La” #3 of 3: Moderation and Zeal

Lost Horizon by James Hilton, 1933

For the High Lama, “moderation” is the key to Shangri-La’s serenity: “It is our custom at Shangri-La to be moderately truthful” (chp. 10). If we were altogether truthful, the utopian tranquility of Shangri-La would come unraveled.  It’s an interesting thought, isn’t it? Does truth need to be moderated?

Moderation and self-control are the great virtues of the Greeks; and, for Hilton’s story, virtues of Eastern thought that moderates Christian zeal. Are we Christian too zealous and in need of moderation? That is the rap on us, isn’t it? Why can’t we be more tolerant of other religions and other points of view? Do we have to be so one-wayish?

The Bible does affirm moderation and self-control…

            -in eating:        “eat only enough for you, lest you be sated…” (Pr 5:16)

            -in drinking:    “Wine drunk at the proper time and in moderation…” (Sir 31:28, Ps 104:15)

            -in wealth:       “Give me neither poverty nor riches… (Pr 30:9)

            -in conduct:     “Be self-controlled and alert…” (1Pt 5:8)

Yet, there’s nothing moderate about the Gospel: “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this” (Isa 9:7). Out of the depth of God’s zeal he sticks with his creation—his creatures: “God who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us…” (Ro 8:32). It’s not so easy to redeem and restore—to get us past that cherubim with the flaming sword. There’s nothing moderate about the way of the Cross: “Christ crucified is a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles” (1Cor 1:23). That’s why the Bible refers to the Cross as simply “His passion”; or, as we say, “The Passion”. There’s nothing moderate about such passion. It’s wild and free and passionate—even offensive. If we remove the offense of the Cross, we lose the Gospel.

And yet, we are not to be offensive: “Give no offense in anything” (2Cor 6:3). Allow the Cross its own peculiar offense. When we get over zealous, bad things happen. As when the Apostle persecuted the church “out of zeal for God” (Ac 22:3-4 & Phil 3:6). That’s not good. It’s too easy for us to become zealous about our own Cause, or political point of view, or even our theological take. Let’s be zealous about the Gospel, and moderate our own thoughts about this or that. “For now,” as the Apostle reveals to us, “we know only in part…” (1Cor 13).

Meanwhile, “Let your moderation be known to all. The Lord is at hand” (Phil 4:5).