A Playground Parable

I can remember a time in kindergarten when I was told not to get off the see-saw while my riding buddy was up in the air. Well, I figured at some point I had to see why this act was so forcibly forbidden, so I made up my mind and when I reached the ground I scooted right off. I turned to see the shocked and pain stricken face of my friend plopped on the ground after the four foot drop of death. Tears were shed and notes were sent home to parents who inevitably scolded me and taught me the lesson that I "shouldn't do things just to be mean." I was ignorant to the fact that gravity would drag my pal down with such force. I felt bad after the ordeal and did go to apologize.

But I believe the meaning of that lesson means more than just not being a mean little toddler. In church this morning, our good Reverend spoke from Ezekiel 33. The prophet Ezekiel received a vision form God that he was to be Israel's "watchman", meaning if he sees that Israel is hanging there on the verge of catastrophe it is up to him to sound the alarm. If he doesn't and things go wrong, the blood that is spilled is on his head. Not on his hands, but his head. So can this take any meaning in our own lives? If we have a loved one sitting on top of the teeter-totter and we are on the bottom keeping them from disaster, do we get off and let them fall? Do we just disregard our call to be watchmen over those we hold dear? Never! We guide them safely down to the safety of the dirt.

Always keep playing on life's see-saw. Eventually, we'll be hanging there on the brink of crashing down and depend on someone to keep us from falling.