Contemplative Bible Reading

Some thoughts about Bible verses

Contemplative Bible Reading header image 2

Life on the Seesaw

May 24th, 2009 · No Comments

Romans 14:10 (New International Version)

You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.

This verse begins with two questions that simply irritate me. Why would someone judge his brother? Why would someone look down on his brother? Don’t we have enough trouble in our own lives? Don’t we have enough to do? Don’t we have enough worries of our own?

This reason behind the judging and “looking down on” are simple enough. It is like living on a seesaw:

You go down when the other person goes up.

You go up when the other person goes down.

Hey, this second part seems a lot better than the first. Going up by…putting the other person down. When you are up, you are “looking down on” the other person.

Seems an easy way to get up in life. Judge someone – judges are in high position – “better than” others. Look down on someone – that means you are above them.

This seesaw model of life appeals to our pride, our desire to be better (than others).

When was the last time you played on a seesaw? You were probably a child at the time. Yeah, seesaws are for children. Adults are supposed to have moved past seesaws.

God, help me to be an adult. Help me to leave the seesaw behind.

Tags: New Testament · Romans

0 responses so far ↓

  • There are no comments yet...Kick things off by filling out the form below.

Leave a Comment