UNEVEN, UNLEVEL GROUND

As published in the Newport (TN) Plain Talk
Release Date – Apr 12, 2012
Column Number - 1215

“UNEVEN, UNLEVEL GROUND”

Ever heard that expression: “The ground is level at (you fill in the blank). It is apparently a promise that everyone will be treated equally well; that opportunities will be shared equally; and all that sounds really nice. The only problem is, “It just flat ain’t true”.

Someone wrote on this subject and concluded with this bombshell of a comment: “They say everyone is equal; but some are more equal than others”.

Actually, it just makes sense to realize that we all have different problems that rise to different intensities requiring different solutions; and level ground just won’t cut it in many situations.

My grandfather always walked with a limp, (as far back as I can remember) because he had one leg that was longer than the other one. He used to love to make the same old tired joke when he would visit us in the greater metro area of Frogpond in the “hills and stills” of East Tennessee and saw that very familiar sight of cows grazing on the side of a hill. He would always say that he would fit in real well on that hillside because he could “walk level” on those trails. We always laughed because … well just because!

Now that I have approached old geezerdom; I do the same as he and I hope my grandkids do the same as me!

Actually, it brings up a very important issue which must be resolved; do those cows, in fact, have one set of legs shorter on one side? If they don’t, how do they walk around on those steep hillsides? If they do; what happens when they get down on level ground (if they can find any); or, perish the thought, reverse themselves and walk the other way on the other side of the hill? And, by the way, do you risk milking them on the leaning side or choose the safer upper side?

These things all need to be explained; and I think Congress should spend a gazillion of our green ‘Murican dollars to figure it out. A new cabinet position could be formed; and a new tsar could be paid; and – well, you know…

The simple truth is that unlevel ground causes problems for workers, runners, walkers, and baby carriage pushers (does anybody push those things anymore; do those things even exist anymore?).

Life has its peaks and valleys; we are not all the same! Everything is not always vanilla; into every life some Moose Tracks must fall! Everyone has different skill sets and we all need to work together to reach the goal.

In studying Solomon’s Temple in the Bible, we found that the Israeli had basic agricultural skills and the Sidonians had basic carpentry skills with wood, metal, and stone. One needed food, the other had food; one needed carpentry skills, the other had carpentry skills – and so they worked together to get that amazing job done.

People face different problems in different ways.

Some run around the problem; and never get around to solving it. They make a lot of noise and create a lot of activity; but they prefer to DEFER solving the problem.

Some run away from the problem; and likewise never get around to solving it. They too make a lot of noise and create a lot of activity; but they prefer to DENY solving the problem.

Some run through the problem; taking and tackling little portions of it at a time, one day at a time, one step at a time. They do not make a lot of noise and do not create a lot of activity; but they prefer to DEAL with the problem – and they come through on the other side as a winner!

We are all different! Just look around you; take a good look, and you will see.

The only place I know where the “ground is truly level” is Calvary; because that depends only upon how God feels and how man feels doesn’t enter into it at all! Oh, we try to put our own spin on the crucifixion and make it into something we want it to be – but sin is sin; and only Calvary’s Sacrifice of Jesus Christ can deal with it!

In that sense; and only in that sense, it is “one size fits all”; and you must come His Way – or you don’t get there!



These columns are written by Tom Mooty, Pastor of Newport’s West End Baptist Church; and published each Thursday. Please fell free to forward them to your friends and family around the world; and send all comments to tommooty05@comcast.net or P.O. Box 851, Newport, TN 37822.

-- 30 --