Yes. The question is for you – YOU who are presently ensconced on a throne like a king whose words are final and unbending. The question is for you – YOU who are now standing on a mountain peak with hands akimbo, as if proclaiming to the universe that you are unreachable, untouchable. WHO PUT YOU UP THERE?
The question is for you – YOU who were once a pauper, trodden underfoot by the more privileged but now you are a reigning prince in your own domain, looked upon by those who, one time or another, shunted you aside. It is for YOU who once lived in the gutter but now you enjoy the luxury of a palatial home. WHO PUT YOU UP THERE?
The question is for you – YOU who were once the odd one out but are now the object of public admiration, the centerpiece of every social function, the focus of attention in the business world. Yes, the question is for YOU who feel you’re on top of the world, and as such, have the right to demand attention, to expect people to cower in fear, and to exact obedience from anyone. WHO PUT YOU UP THERE?
Yes, the question is for US who assume that we have translated our dreams into reality all by our own, that we have conquered the apex by our sheer intelligence, perseverance and tenacity. To our mind, we have become MASTERS of our own FATE. We fancy that we are INDESPENSABLE and therefore the world around owes us BIG TIME!!
Before we make a litany of our achievements and talents, may WE COME TO OUR SENSES and consider Jesus’ statement in JOHN 15:5, “…WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN DO NOTHING! Simple words. BRAVE words. They are words of power- the power that keeps both our feet planted firmly on the ground and the power that helps us find our bearings.
I hope the following poem I wrote five years ago can shed a ray of light into the darkness of our self-proclaimed independence.
WHO PUT YOU UP THERE?
( By Y.B.Mores, July 13, 2013 )
When you feel you’re on top of the world,
And everything is at your fingertips,
It seems nothing and no one can displace you,
PLEASE REMEMBER YOUR GOD, YOUR SAVIOR,
And find your ROOTS,-the place where once
You belonged to.
Remember that somehow, somewhere, sometime,
Someone has given time and all,
Perhaps a Dad, a Mom, a sibling,
A friend, a teacher, a mentor,
To put you on your treasured pedestal,
Someone who labours in silence,
And works in the shadows,
Someone who stays in the sidelines,
Who chooses not the limelight,
But opts for the background:
UNKNOWN
UNNAMED
UNNUMBERED
UNRECOGNIZED
UNREWARDED
That you may reach for your favoured stars
And lay claim to your cherished dreams.
This is THE GOOD LIFE: That at the end of the day, we are still able to acknowledge the truth that WITHOUT GOD behind the wave of support from a large number of people, WE ARE NOTHING BUT A SPECK OF DIRT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INFINITE EXPANSE.