你們要先求祂的國和祂的義，這些東西都要加給你們了！~馬太福音6:33
美國在二十世紀初，為了保護黃石公園中的馬鹿，而大量獵殺公園裡的狼，說是為了保護，也是為了毛皮所帶來的經濟利益。1926年，野生灰狼幾乎從黃石公園中消失，而意想不到的是，沒有天敵的馬鹿，數量爆增，到處啃食樹苗，竟然使許多森林變成荒地，破壞了原本的生態與地貌。於是在1995年，決定重新引入狼群，把14隻狼放生到黃石公園。狼群開始獵殺馬鹿，又再一次改變了公園內的生態，馬鹿開始躲避狼群，遷移到更安全的山谷和樹林，在這6年期間，馬鹿離棄的荒地重新長出樹木，森林增長5倍，茂盛的森林引來更多的鳥類和動物，原本滅絕的動物也回來了，狼群帶來了連鎖反應，超過原本的想像。甚至連河川流動的方式也改變了，從急流變緩流，重新帶來了水的生態，減少了水土流失，又變清潔了，滅絕的河狸回來了，魚群回來了，又提供了更多的食物和棲息地，黃石公園又成了野生動物的繁殖生態系統，14隻狼改變了一切。一百多年的歲月和付出了無法計算的成本，一切回到原點。
每一個人的心中都有一個想要追求的目標來達到人生幸福的境界，我們相信這些目標的達成是對我們有利的，非凡的收入帶來財富和高物質的享受，工作上的成就達到自我實現和令人羡慕的名聲，為了成功所使用的手段改變了我們單純的心，甚至是改變了我們的價值觀和看世界的方式，我們忽略了在追求成功的過程中我們失去了什麼，改變了什麼，我們以為我們朝著幸福前進，卻不知道成功與幸福不一定是同一路的。我們可能在成功的事業與成就中與幸福擦身而過，或是當我們擁有物質的幸福後再來追求無形的心靈滿足。然而當我們的心被追求成功與自身利益給填滿時，我們忽略了我們身旁的一些人，那些原本真心與我們相交的人被我們拋棄了，原本以愛相待的心被我們用價錢來計算衡量了。我們讓人失望卻不自知，傷了人也不在意。我們以為我們在創造自己的利益，卻不知道在眼前的利益下，我們失去更多人性的價值。我們想要用世上的法則來建立自我的成就，只會看到更多的破壞而己。
我們原本只知道狼群會獵殺動物，但不知道狼群也會給其他動物創造生存機會，黃石公園的生態浩劫不是在科學實驗與研究下以人工的建造方式下恢復的，卻是在放手回歸造物主原本所立的自然法則下恢復的。我們以為我們在保護，其實我們在破壞，我們以為我們在建造，其實是在摧毀。 用我們的眼光所追求的目標，非但沒有達到原來的期待，卻是帶來許多想像不到的破壞。為創造財富，人們建立了經濟體系，股市成就了許多百萬富翁，卻造出了更多破產的失心瘋；都市帶來了許多物質的便利，卻也產生了許多的遊民街友，人們開設了更多華麗的公司，卻讓許多的家庭破碎流離。我們以為我們在建設，其實是沒有看到所帶來的破壞。
如果你要追求真正的幸福，先找到人的幸福法則，再來設立目標，追求財富和物質不是不重要，順序更重要，更不要因此忽略了身邊的人，有時幸福不一定遙遠，也不一定要付出高額代價，一支草、一點露，都有它的美麗與價值，幸福與美滿，必須你看的見，恐怕我們付出了青春和歲月，到頭來，你所追求的，其實就在你身邊。「先求祂的國和祂的義，這些東西都要加給你們了!」
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ~Matthew 6:33
In the early twentieth century, many wolves were hunted and killed to protect the red deer in Yellowstone Park. Besides the protection of the deers, the primary purpose was to make a profit out of the fur business. By 1926, wild gray wolves almost disappeared from Yellowstone Park. Unexpectedly, the number of red deers surged, without their natural enemies. They ate up the saplings wherever they went, turning many forests into a wasteland and destroying their original ecology and landform. In 1995, 14 wolves were released to the park. The wolves began to prey on the red deer, which once again changed Yellowstone’s ecosystem. The red deer began to avoid the wolves and migrate to safer valleys and deeper woods. In six years, trees grew back in the wastelands abandoned by those red deer; the forest land increased five times and attracted more birds and animals, including those endangered ones. The wolves brought a chain reaction that exceeded expectations. It even slowed down the water flow, revived the wetland, and significantly reduced soil erosion. The water was cleaner, the beavers are back, the fishes reappeared in the river, and in return, they as a whole provided more food and habitat. Yellowstone Park had become a breeding ecosystem for wild animals, the 14 wolves changed everything. After more than a hundred years and incalculable costs, everything went back to where it had been.
Everyone has a happiness goal to pursue in life, and we believe it’s beneficial when it’s achieved. For example, extraordinary income brings wealth and high material enjoyment, and career success proves self-realization and an enviable reputation. How we pursue success has changed our pure heart, and even our values and how we perceive the world. We ignore what we have lost and changed in the process. We think we are moving towards happiness, but we don’t know that success and joy of heart may go in different directions. We may pass by joy in our successful career and achievements, or we may pursue intangible spiritual satisfaction after achieving material success. However, when hearts are only filled with the pursuit of self-interest, we neglect some of the people around us. Those we connect with are abandoned, and a price tag measures the hearts that used to treat each other with love. We let our people down, but we don’t notice it; We hurt their feelings, but we don’t care. We think we are creating wealth, but what we don’t know is that we are losing more human value under the immediate interests. If we want to use the world’s laws to build only worldly achievements, we will only see more destruction.
We understood that wolves would hunt and kill animals, but little did we know that wolves would create favourable living conditions for other creatures. The ecological setback in Yellowstone Park was not restored by artificial construction under scientific experiments or research but by letting go and returning to the original natural laws of the Creator. We thought we were protecting, but in fact, we were endangering. We thought we were constructing, but in reality, we were destroying.
The superficial goals we pursue not only fails to meet the original expectations, but also brings many unimaginable damages. In order to create wealth, people have established an economic system. The stock market has made millions of millionaires, but it has also created more bankruptcy and broken hearts. The city has brought better material conveniences, but it has also produced a much higher homeless population. People have opened more glorious business, but many families have been shattered and left behind. We thought we were building, but that’s because we overlooked the damage.
If you want to pursue true happiness, first find the law, and then set goals accordingly. It’s not that pursuing wealth and materiality is useless, but knowing the order of prioritization is more important. We should never take people in our life for granted. Happiness is not always far away, and nor should you have to pay a high price for it. A piece of grass and a bit of rain drop both have its beauty and value. Happiness or satisfaction, you must look to be able to see it. We spend years to pursue our goals, and in the end, you realize what you are after has always been yours. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”