"They ate, drank and rose up to play" - Exodus 32:6

I am quite often shunned as a nutcase by my friends, a religious nerd by my kin and an android by my colleagues for being utterly out-of-sync with the present times. Reason, I apparently do not measure up to the "eat-drink-for-tomorrow-we-die" ideologies of this fast-paced world. Yes, I am discarded as an outlier in statistical terms. So, am I dejected for how the world frowns and gnashes it's teeth at me ? Heck !! No..and never !! Read on to know why I care little for it.

There have been such sweeping changes to our professional and social milieu that we often tend to get pressurized to alter our lifestyles to accommodate them. It is normal for a sprinkling of feasting, partying and get to-gethers to usually vie for a slot in our yearly calenders. The call from friends and colleagues is so inviting and tantalizing that it's hard to decline their sincere requests for association. People these days, especially the young scions of the burgeoning upper middle class seem to create a mark for themselves with jazzy phrases like "partying big time", "having a blast/ball", "living life queen/king size" etc. which are, to me, the modern day equivalents to the "ate, drank and rose up to play" of the Mosaic age. If one would take a closer look, it bears direct relevance to the party life. The pub culture. The dance fever. The revelry in groups. The very "worship of enjoyment" that is, where divine sanity goes for a walk and moral depravity gradually seeps in.

I draw the ire of my office superiors for forthrightly turning down requests for parties and bashes which are laced with doses of "fun and frolic", and in return get branded a "non team-player" in the eyes of the majority. And believe me, it is tough to stand grounded in your personal preferences and religious principles these days, for all the powers out there simply won't let you to, without a challenge. But, this is where my Lord's manifold graces uphold me in my struggles to live the Word as Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego endeavored to, and manifestly justifies me in the presence of the accusing fingers. So, I am spitefully cussed at for what I am, but I just cheerfully pooh-pooh the volleys for God's sake and manage to train my ears differently. I agree that living the "Organizational value systems" in our professions is undoubtedly important, but not so much as compared to living by our "Personal values". So, they continue to play the tricky team-player card against me, while I play the my deck close to my omniscient and omnipotent Lord's chest.

So, dear Christian reader, are you still excusing yourself for your indulgences ? Does not he who excuses himself in this matter, accuse himself ?