SHAKY PEDESTALS


 

I purchased this book some time ago.  I started it and put it down after a few chapters.  Recently I ran out of reading material and picked it up again.  This time around, I finished it.  Like many times in life, I should have persevered--the meat of the story is in the last one third of the book.

Harper Lee wrote the acclaimed To Kill A Mockingbird.  If you live in the South, for certain, this was on a school reading list somewhere along the way.  This book was a part of Ms Lee's estate and had never been published.  It's publishing was not met with favorable review by the critics.  Perhaps this is affirmation of there is one "GOOD" book in us.

There were two obvious themes to me.  I have since discussed the book with a couple of friends and discovered their take away was somewhat different than mine.  Further proof of looking through a different set of eyes, produces differing opinions.

What struck me as very poignant was the danger of placing anyone on a pedestal.  The reader is reminded, when we place someone on a pedestal, we begin to believe their philosophies--without question.  We strive to be "like" that person.  We admire them to a point of revere.  Somewhere along the line, we are in danger of accepting all they say and do as truth.  A dangerous assumption which will lead us down the path of disappointment.



The news is filled everyday with reminders of all those around us who have fallen from their pedestals.  It is not isolated to those of "The World".  Sadly it is also viral in the Christian community as well.

We ALL have feet of clay.  All of the great icons of man have done things which would disappoint us.  When we stop thinking for ourselves, when we stop questioning what we hear, when we stop using our own brains---we are on the path to becoming part of the mass instead of an individual.

Pedestals are always shaky at best.  We are always better off with two feet on the ground.    SO--be careful who you place on a pedestal---it is shaky ground at best and at great risk for an eventual fall.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

II Timothy 3:1-9

5 comments

  1. We absolutely cannot put any other human on a pedestal. It is so very dangerous and foolhardy, Lulu. The only person deserving of a pedestal is Christ Jesus.
    Blessings!

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  2. Lord, keep us with our feet on the ground and our eyes looking up to You ...

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  3. Let us keep our sights up to Heaven.

    God bless.

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!