I remember a discussion of a section in the Bible’s Old Testament.
Seems a ship arrived in Israel containing a cargo of life’s critical necessities. According to the writer King Solomon himself had placed the order for his people.
The cargo manifest was important enough to be set out in full detail by the biblical writer so that all would know what King Solomon listed as items critical in the life of his subjects. The section set forth pages and pages of everyday goods that were essential for the building of a young nation. They mentioned nails, wood, pots, farm animals, cooking utensils, metals, tools etc. until the final line wherein it said, “...and ivory, apes, and peacocks.”
Now you may wonder why the King ordered those final items especially, considering that the ship’s cargo was filled with more mundane & critical articles for survival? Why would the King waste critical cargo space for them?
Well, as the speaker told me, the King knew that in this grey world in which we toil to survive there must be sustenance for our spirits as well as our bodies. He knew that in addition to pots, nails, tools etc. we must always make room for the luxurious (ivory) and the exotic (apes) and the fantastic (peacocks) to keep our spirits and imaginations alive.
I wish you all ivory, apes, and peacocks every day of your life.
