My House Divided

"A house divided cannot stand," a quote from Abraham Lincoln ( a biblical reference I believe) and a good one at that.  I was thinking about his quote the other day and I found myself realizing the truth of it runs deep to the very foundation of all society.  The biblical reference for it mostly goes back to a man cannot serve two masters for eventually one will win out, when looking at it from a household standpoint it paints a much different picture.  It basically means your ideals and intention should align with whoever the head of your household is or your will one day find yourself a usurper to the thrown or being out of said household.   A good way to paint this picture is to think of mid-evil times when the head of the house (if you were royalty or a lord) literally lead the kingdom in which you live.  Let's say that you were the son or daughter of the King but you didn't agree with some of the rules and practices of the kingdom.  If you decided to voice your opinion to others whether they agree with you are not you are going to cause descent in the kingdom even if you never had a mind to challenge the King. In the minds of those you voiced said opinion to you have already done so they have already decided whether they follow you or your father in this stance.  
In contrast lets say you decided to take a different approach and instead of saying anything about the King and the rules of which you disagree you hold your tongue and go when outside the castle walls and break the rules with which you do not agree.  If any person from the kingdom sees your actions they will judge your actions as that of the King as being one who makes rules and break rules and they themselves will either place you as one who opposes the King or as one who represents the Kings ideals.  Your very actions place the target of the Kings back and leads people to believe you a usurper or to pursue usurping themselves.
In short these descents and different viewpoints make the house divided not be able to stand.  For given time either your actions will continue and the King will be Usurped or said conflict will claim your viewpoint and you will find yourself smashed under the machine of those of whom you disagree.
If you are having a hard time tying this back to a real day scenario or finding where it can take root in your own life lets look at it like this.  If as a son or daughter, employee, student, etc. we say I care not for your opinion on this matter and think they are wrong we are silently wishing for the death of these figures influences in our lives.  We know their ideals and what they believe and we in turn say no I' am a better authority on this matter which breeds conflict among us, them, and whoever is sitting on the sidelines and knows both of the points being made.  Imagine if every time a person had one of these kinds of conflicts the only way out was for one of them to die, would people act so quickly pursuing their own desires  or put thought to what actions their actions will spawn.  Often times when we do, do such a things it is just to make our lives more convenient for us and our quarrel is simply one of let me do what I want to do. Because of this we are ready to face the King in principles of running a land, a Professor on the information they team, a father on how best to be a man.  That is not to say all usurping is unwarranted but to say there will be a time to make our own rules and to teach our own theories, but is that time actually today? Why are we living in this persons home? Why are we taking this class? Why don't they make me a supervisor when I first start? etc.
So when living under another mans roof  one would do well to coincide their wants and desires with the master of the house unless of course they want to find themselves the master of the house with all the rules and responsibilities that go with it.  For heavy is the head that wears the crown, especially for one who wants nothing to do with the weight of it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1BFHYtZlAU

Tracking your Heartbeat

When we are born (or even before that) our heartbeat dictates how long our lives will last, for as long as we still have a heartbeat we alive.  It is that ambient noise in the background of all of our lives no matter what we are doing our heart is beating in the background.  Sure at times it may speed up and struggle to meet the capacity to which it was set while at others times it comes naturally and without strain. In thinking of your life and where you are headed in it what is your own personal heartbeat? (or the principles in which you live your life by) If something is truly ones gospel it should be as ones heartbeat, something they automatically do without putting much thought into it.  to better align ourselves with the analogy is your current heartbeat coming easy for you or is it one that strains and struggles because of how recently it took control of your life. Have you recently stopped smoking and struggle to not flat line on a daily basis or is it something you have done since you were a child etc... Where are do each of these ideals fit and how deeply rooted are they in each of us?
I would hypothesize if each and everyone one of us take a hard look at ourselves and ones supposed "morals" or "ideals" that the flatlined reality of their actions in their lives are quite different. Are you truly living up to the standards you have placed on yourself or do they become the principles and ideals that gut you because of your lack of living up to them. In my younger years I believed that I like everyone else put my family first and that I was always trying to be a good person, but as I got older I began to realize that these things which were my deepest desires were in fact nowhere near prevalent or relevant in my life.  The pursuit of happiness (or in my case to calm my own personal demons) had taken over so that I was merely trying to survive.
While attending university a professor once asked "Why is it that so few people feel happiness in their lives?".  Through time and experience I have learn that true happiness comes when ones expectation meet ones reality, and how better is this exemplified than when ones gospel coincides with ones reality.  When ones heart beat synthesizes with ones ideals they find peace of heart and mind which is great so one doesn't feel the need to pluck said heart from ones chest.