Equally Human
The other day I got to thinking that this series of opinion pieces probably appears rather unrelated and disorganized. What is the single thought that ties them together?
We are Equally Human.
We may segregate ourselves in any number of ways. We may allow our minds to become persuaded that this person is our superior, or that person is inferior. We may become obsessed with the viewpoint of one individual to the point that we think those who don’t get it must be inferior. Then it becomes Us vs Them.
Those seeking greater power and influence frequently divide Us from Them. The Us are the ones who get it, whatever IT may be. The Them are the ones who are too uninformed or stupid to get it. This is nothing more than a marketing ploy to build a loyal following/repeat business/power. And this is true in the world of politics, religion, entertainment, consumer products or wherever else greater influence is sought.
The danger arises when we think that any difference in preference makes one a superior or inferior human. It does not. There are individuals that I do not care to be around, but they are no less human. There are individuals whose talents I admire, but it would be dangerous to think that talent or ability creates a superior human.
No matter how we divide and separate, we are equally human. No one, no matter our degree of admiration, is more human. No one, no matter how much we pity ore revile, is less human. Jesus showed us this truth in numerous ways.
Go back and read 1 Samuel: Chapter 8.
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.
But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.”
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.
He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.
Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day.”
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD.
The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Everyone go back to his town.”
When we place one human above us, we cannot help but put other humans beneath us. Justice is perverted and our capacity for compassion is diminished.
…So much more to say. This could be a long series.
Look at the things Samuel warns about. When you give authority you idol-ize and give up so much of who you are.
Why do we keep choosing security over freedom and not see we’re choosing slavery? I like your Equally Human idea. Making kings or outcasts lead to the same end.
I have so much to say on this topic that it is difficult to organize my thoughts. Guess I’ll keep posting in whatever unorganized manner comes to mind.