What Would it Profit?

There was a time in my life that having “things” was all I thought of or did anything about. Houses, cars, fine things but above all, “the favor and approval of man”. Getting ahead was my only goal; it was continually in my thoughts, I had something to prove.

As I struggled with the need to have more and more, I was given a dream that helped put things back into their proper perspective.

The dream began with a visit to a fine mansion in a very upscale neighborhood, not unlike a place I would have wanted to own. The home was a large 2-story Colonial/Plantation style mansion with columns out front, a four-car garage and circle drive. Fine cars of every model and make were coming up the drive, Mercedes, Ferraris, Porsche, Cadillac… each vehicle carrying a couple to the party and each couple trying to outclass the next, the party would soon commence.

Then the dream took me to another location, I was suddenly at a modest cabin sitting at the base of a wooded hillside. There was a garden and a man working the ground with a hoe. His coat was hanging on the fence post and there was a dog lying under the shade tree in the front yard.

A woman came to the door and hollered, “Supper’s ready” … the ears of the dog perked up and he peered across the yard, where the man was looking toward the house. The gardener wipes his brow and smiles, as if to say “Now that’s what I’ve been waiting to hear”. He throws the coat over his shoulder, sets the hoe up against a fence post and heads through the gate toward the cabin. The dog, seeing his chance to receive attention, runs ahead of the man to make sure his head is patted and ears scratched. Of course, the farmer accommodates his good friend with a pat and a scratch, then steps up into the cabin for supper.

Fascinated by what I was now seeing, and wondering what was for supper, I was caught off guard when the location once again changed and I found myself in the large mansion once more. The party was now in full swing and I could see the lights from the pool area where squeals of delight could be heard… women and men, scantily dressed, drinking like there was no tomorrow. Others could be seen slipping off with someone besides the person they arrived with, heading to bedrooms and other dark areas of the house to engage in pleasures with one another. The smell of second-hand cigarette smoke, beer and other liquors began filling the air. I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach, repulsed by what I saw going on, both in the open and behind closed doors.

The repulsion was soon replaced by calm and serene, as my dream once again moved to the scene of a cabin in the woods. It was dark there now; there were lights on in the back of the house. Somehow, I knew this had to be the kitchen. That light went out and another came on in a different location in the cabin, that had to be the bedroom … I heard them speak to one another in soft muffled tones, finally hearing them say goodnight. The lights went out and all that was left were the sounds of the woods, insects and frogs joining together for their night time serenade… there was so much peace in this part of my dream, it made me envious of the tranquility that was theirs.

Sadly, that peaceful setting was short lived, for once more I was at the big house... the sun had just begun to rise, peeking over the horizon. The stench of vomit mixed with the stale smell of burned-out cigarettes, spilled beer and half-eaten plates of food filled the air. I felt that familiar knot in my stomach again, the scene was one of utter chaos; no peace, no high living, just debauchery and filth. I could see the lights of many of the cars, that had been left on all night, and they were fading to a dull yellow glow. A few of the party goers had wakened to find their partners not with them; fighting and cursing began, the beautiful Plantation style mansion had been replaced by the smells of a night of the worst kind of depravity and sin… there was nothing appealing about the lives of these persons, even though from appearances they had the world by the proverbial tail. No peace, a false joy and pleasures that only lasted as long as the next party… who would want it?

I was then taken from the mansion back to the cabin once more… the sun hadn’t quite risen above the hillside and I could see the kitchen at the back of the house. The smell of bacon cooking made my stomach growl, it was so real. Then some time passed and the man came out wearing his “Sunday go to meeting” clothes. He went to the truck and began cleaning off the windshield, all the while the dog begging for attention. I heard the screen door pop shut and saw the woman appear on the porch in a simple flowery dress, holding her purse in one hand and bible in the other.

“We had best be going”, said the man as the dog ran across the yard to greet the woman… “Stay down Tippy”, she said, “you’ll mess up my dress” ... Tippy moved back and the woman made her way to the truck. The last thing I remember is watching Tippy as he looked intently at the truck driving down the lane. No doubt they were heading to a country church somewhere down that road and once again, I was keenly aware of the peace and tranquility of this moment and all that it entailed.

The stark contrasts of the two scenes were amazing to me. The one a prosperous affair with people appearing to have everything going for them, yet in reality had nothing that mattered in an eternal sense. On the other hand, the couple in appearance had very little, but yet were rich in things eternal… having all they “need” with little more, yet possessing everything pertaining to true living. There was love and caring and a simple peace that even the dog was able to partake in.

What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses his very soul? Truly life without the life giver is no life at all.