Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Ben Franklin
The most remarkable thing about Benjamin Franklin is that he is a man who thinks like a child. As a child conceives after some deliberation the idea of opening a lemonade stand and simply does so, Mr. Franklin similarly started a newspaper, a library, and almost his own quasi-religious sect to name just a few of his accomplishments. The genius of Benjamin Franklin lies not with his ideas, not with the simple will to follow through with his ideas, but in the hardest and most necessary step, the execution. I doubt not that many of us have come up with amazing ideas, inspiring and ingenious, at numerous times in our lives. That ability is a gift we receive from our parents, bestowed upon us by our creator, having been made in his image and likeness. However, unlike our creator who's "will be done," we must oftentimes exert and sweat to achieve our goals.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
One of the most profound mysteries about creation - as related in Genesis 1 - is not the actual formation of ALL from nothing by divine will, or the creation of Man "in the divine image" - but the far more unusual "rest" which God took once He had "checked the system" and seen that the whole was indeed very good. Certainly He does not "sweat" or require energy and rest as we do - but there was something He wanted us to learn... perhaps that even our work is to somehow represent His own work.
ReplyDeleteThere's plenty here for some very good discussions... Jaki's Genesis 1 Through the Ages, sets forth the idea that the "Sabbath" Rest" is a critical element of that chapter. (An excellent book from a Chestertonian historian of science!)
Another time we might explore the work that Franklin did on electricity - I read some stuff recently about the risks he took - someone tried to repeat his lightning experiment and got killed.