Is the worth of a man (or of a woman) determined by the market value of each of his individual
parts? Do we assess the cost needed to replicate his intellect, and the market value of any of his
limbs if they were removed and sold?
If we could estimate the worth of his daily productivity using some enigmatic formula and then
add to it some arbitrary value for his “eye appeal” and personality, would we then be able to
assign to that man his exact value, or even worse grant only to those with high level skills and
marketability the freedom to occupy his or her place in the world and, the permission to breath its
air without assault or condemnation?
Lest we begin to balk and stir at such concepts as these; let’s look for a moment at some ugly
reflections of ourselves (as a society) in the mirror shall we?
Do we not begin to reflect upon others some very subtle messages from the very moment of their
birth? What about the baby who is born with the biggest, roundest, brightest of eyes, that are
framed with long thick eyelashes, an adorable little upturned nose, dimples and laughter to melt
the coldest heart? Do we not at once label that child “A Gerber Baby” “A little doll”; or some
other equally complimentary and charming name as these?
What of the baby born with close set and squinty eyes? Whose features are pinched and red and
who only purses her lips and cries at her birth? Or the one whose only “crime” is not being born a
boy to the parents who wanted their first to be the boy who would then become big brother to the
rest of the siblings who followed and who, if he she had been born a boy, would have proudly
born the name of the father, (Dad –The sequel).
That child all too often then gets subjected to the lifelong stories told to anyone who will listen
that he or she was born looking like he came two months too late: over cooked and with a head
bald down the middle like something you would land a plain on.
As everyone laughs at that child’s expense, even in his very earliest years in his mind, his value
has already been predetermined. And so, as time goes on and he stumbles and falls a bit as
babies will do when learning to walk and play; he hears terms of “endearment” and “no offence
intended” remarks like “that child is sure to become an archeologist some day; his face is always
in the dirt!”
As life rushes unmercifully on with a daily and unrelenting litany of such “harmless” remarks,
one day that child shows up with purple pointed hair and holes in his ears the size of quarters
through which you can hear the whistling of the wind. He listens to music that happily deafens
those in the next county who are made glad at least for the peace.
He has become a tyrant in the home, and a menace to his society, and we just raise our hands in
wonder and declare, “I don’t know what happened to that boy, he has always been such a mess!”
Seriously! Are we kidding!? We have very literally created a monster, and we shake our heads at
that child – now grown into a man as we collectively watch him on the 6 o’clock news.
The Bible tells us that what we sow, we will reap. What if we were to make it our mission in life
to have only good things to say to (and about) others? What if our words were used exclusively
to build up, and not to tear down? I sincerely believe that we would have far fewer people pulling
inward into their own impenetrable cocoons. Those who after many years of compressing and
pushing down all of their hurts and pains end up committing suicide and even at times homicide,
Or, who merely get lost amongst the homeless numbers we hurry past every day without ever for
a moment daring to look them directly in the eye.
I believe that if we were to use our words more carefully and began to think more before we
speak, we would soon have far more happy, fruitful and productive members of society, fully
investing themselves and their efforts into building up those who with their words breathed life
into them. “Death and Life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its
fruit!” Proverbs 18:21
I am not intending with this article to assign blame for all of the ills of our society today, nor have
I addressed in all of this; the concept of taking personal responsibility for our own lives and
choices. That’s a discussion for another day, and over the months and the miles ahead, I am sure
we will get there together.
For this moment in time, and this meal alone, please allow me to serve up what has been cooking
on the stove all day in my kitchen (while I still have one) and as the gracious host that I believe
myself to be. If it doesn’t fit your tastes, or is too hot to your tongue, then I can serve you up a
cold ham sandwich instead.
No comments:
Post a Comment