the first in line ..

I guess I don't know much about life..

I figure there's been tough times
but tough is relative ..
what's tough for me is another man's luxury
and that's in today's world; that's not even comparing me now to people 100 or 500 or 1000 years ago

I can only speak to me in my life experience..
and I certainly need to always remember that
when I talk my talk
when I toss my opinion out there
when I define
classify
judge

frankly, I figure I'm one of the most privileged people to ever walk this Earth
and I should not forget that
nor should I forget that my sheltered privileged experience translates into a broad naivete which blurs my vision, clouds my understanding of the next person, the one down the street or across the state line or on the other side of the Atlantic..

I can have my opinions, my beliefs, my facts, but those things really only count as far as my footstep falls and my shadow casts
for me to circumscribe another by my teeny worldview is surely arrogance
but more, it is an assault on their intrinsic human value

so when I open my mouth
when I look away
when I draw back
when I point
or my mind scolds
and my person is offended or insulted
my only recourse ever should be
I am the worst sinner
ever
I
am
the chief sinner
every other person is worth more than my worthlessness

because Jesus cut my umbilical to that tree that looks to judge good from evil
and for me to do otherwise is to do Nicodemus' dance and crawl back to Mother tree

regardless of who it is
what they've done
where they're from
how they look or smell
I stand at the front of the sinner line

the mission of the Lord Christ in saving sinners was for me first

I guess I don't know much about life after all
..