I found myself having a very pleasant conversation with a good friend. Suddenly I saw someone enter the room who I deemed to be more important. Quickly I terminated the conversation so I could associate with the more important person. It was not until later in the day that I pondered what I had done and I was filled with remorse. It sounds so very crass when I tell you about it. But the truth is consciously I did not think, “That person is more important than this one.” It was a subconscious social reaction whose meaning did not surface until later. I just did it without thinking.
There is more than one thing wrong here. First, I did it without thinking. Big mistake. We should think before we do. Second, there is no such thing as one person being more important than another. Rank is a mythical social construction that implies one person has more value than another. It reminded me of taking a cruise and being told there would be no place in the lifeboats for the men until women and children were safely cared for. I was rudely reminded that an undereducated eighty-year-old woman would have more value than a fifty-year-old male Nobel Prize winning brain surgeon.
Perhaps it is the cross of Jesus that puts this into some perspective. The creator of the universe died so we can live. He took our place so we can take His place. No, I’m sorry. This isn’t working for me. I don’t get it. There is no possible way this logically works. That sacrifice is totally out of proportion. When I see Him face to face I will be even more confounded.
Written by Roger Bothwell on February 16, 2010
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org