False Expectations

 Years ago, I had a friend who joined an United Order.  He was enthusiastic to go.  It seemed that he had finally found his place.  Yet, the experience was short lived.

As my friend settled in to his new home and order, he found there were rules of the order he was expected to keep.  Well, this did not sit well with him.  He was not expecting there to be order in this new order he joined.  And the rules of which he told me, were only simple rules of moral conduct, the kind that would be expected in many orders and churches.  But this was too much for him.

Another problem he found was of course, parents were expected to watch and care for their children, and teach them the ways of the Order.  This again seemed to rub my friend in the wrong way.  He was more of the opinion to allow the children free range to do whatever they wanted, then perhaps later in life they will choose to be good.

When joining an United Order, a person should be wise enough to investigate the order first.  Find out what the order believes, what the Order expects of it’s members.  There are often many benefits to joining an Order, but there are also many responsibilities to joining an Order.  It is because of everyone in the Order fulfilling their responsibilities, that everyone has the benefits of the Order.  It is utter foolishness, and selfishness, to join an Order for it’s benefits, and not it’s responsibilities.

As can be imagined, my friend did not last very long.  He soon took his family and left that United Order.  The concept of being united with the people of that Order, and working together for the common goal, was too much for him.  Yet that is exactly the purpose of the United Order.  My friend just wanted the benefit, without being united.  He loved the Spiritual benefit, but wanted to do none of the Spiritual work.  He just wanted the benefit of everyone else’s work, without lifting a finger himself.  He just wanted the benefit, but none of the responsibility, none of the work.  None of the physical work, and most certainly none of the Spiritual Work!  No sacrifice, no patience, no long-suffering, no contributing.  The behaviour of:  “I will not be kind to you in your way, but you must be kind to me in my way, and make me feel wonderful, or I am out of here!” certainly did not work.

Oh to be a leach, and live off the avails of others!