The Weight of Glory

In Lewis' sermon, "The Weight of Glory," he talks about our desires and the weight that glory puts on us. Although we sometimes think that our desires are too strong, Lewis refutes this by saying that we are too easily pleased because we go after earthly pleasures while things such as infinite joy is out there. Stronger desires can be good but they can also be bad as well. If we are seeking after God because we desire rewards, we do not have the right intentions and will not be satisfied but if we truly seek God, those rewards will come along with it. Next, Lewis talks about glory and the burden it brings us. Lewis describes glory as either "fame" or "luminosity", and we would normally say that fame is a bad thing because it is saying that you are better than others. "I suddenly remembered that no one can enter heaven except as a child; and nothing is so obvious in a child--not a conceited child, but in a good one--as its great and undisguised pleasure in being praised. Not only in a child, either, but even in a dog or a horse." The glory that we seek as a child is not a sin and it is just the wanting to be acknowledged. We work to glorify God because he deserves it but when he gives us the gift of glory it is like a burden to us because we don't deserve it. "To please God...to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness...to be loves by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in his son--it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain." This can be pictured in an analogy of a car. If a friend were to just give you a new car, you would almost feel bad taking it and it would be great but also somewhat of a burden. If you just didn't use it, then you would be wasting the gift and also if you misused it and crashed it you would be wasting the gift as well. Also, I like the examples that Lewis uses in the previous quote. He says, "as an artist delights in his work or a father his son." He chooses these examples because God is both our artist and our father so he delights in us as his artwork and as his children.