BORROWED WISDOM

 Words are just the neatest things.  Every day I'm fascinated by one or the other.  

In the Book of Exodus in the Bible, the story of the Israelites escape from captivity in Egypt is described.  Moses and those who followed him escaped the Egyptians by crossing the Red Sea and then wondered in the desert area between Egypt and Israel for 40 years.  That's a long time.  There were thousands of people and as many animals.  It's mind boggling to think of it.  

Well, a lot can happen in forty years and it did.  You know, the Ten Commandments and all that.  Of course, there came a time when God, who was advising Moses along the way, became quite a bit pissed off at the Israelites.  He even threatened to let them all die right there before ever getting to the "Promised Land."  God said to Moses, something like, "I see how stiff-necked these people are.  They had the nerve to make a molten calf out of some metal they had and they worshipped it."  As the story goes, Moses talked God out of being so rash with his people and he promised they would stop this silliness.  

Why did I tell you this story?  God called the people "stiff-necked."  What a description!  What does that mean?  Being stiff-necked is to be stubborn.  Being stubborn is a kin to being "pigheaded."  What does that mean?  

Well, I'll tell you.  You might know a little about pigs but you probably didn't know that their cervical vertebrae will not allow the head to be raised - at least not very much.  Pigs can't really look upward.  That's being pigheaded.  Yes, being stubborn and moreover, not being able to see the sky.  That's why God chose that "stiff-necked" description.  

Don't be a pig.  Don't be stubborn to a fault.  Look up to the sky.  It's beautiful.  It's blue - sometimes.  It's heaven.  

Have a great weekend.