Comparing cows and God. Who does that? Meister Eckhart does.
Eckhart was a German theologian and Christian mystic who focused much of his writing on seeing God in all things. He lived in the lat 1200’s to early 1300’s and became pretty popular at the time. He’s one of those writers that a lot of people qoute. So, I thought I’d qoute him here, too, since I’ve recently started reading a book of his writings and teachings.
In one passage, comparing love for cows with love for God, he says,
“Some people want to see God with their eyes as they see a cow and to love God as they love their cow- they love their cow for the milk and cheese and profit it makes them. This is how it is with people who love God for the sake of outward wealth and inward comfort. They do not rightly love God when they love God for their own advantage.”
I find this to be an interesting comment on how we often view God. Most of us, if we’re honest, probably love God in hopes of getting things from God rather than loving God to get God.
There is a big difference between loving God to get God and loving God to get things from God.
And, as Eckhart points out, you don’t rightly love God when you love God for your own advantage. Something for all of us to think about, for sure. Hopefully, we love God to get God, get the Divine One, the Ultimate Reality, the Creator of All Creation, we love God to get Love.