Equality

When we seek equality, it is strange. When a child says to his peer in an innocent game of kickball, "Hey, these teams are not fair!", the child says so because of one of either 2 reasons. One, is that the bitterness of losing leads the child to seek for an outlet of his frustration, or two, the child finds himself bored in face of the overwhelming victory that came without a bead of sweat or effort. Either way, the child then seeks 'equality'... for his own betterment.

Perhaps the example above is unfair, inaccurate, or too assumptive. Whatever it is, the truth is this: that when one seeks equality, one rarely seeks it for the equality of one's fellow brother. When we seek equality, we desire to bring people up, or bring people down--somewhere, at some level, that is comforting to us. Discomfort always makes us feel different--and difference, often times silently whispers inequality to us until we are persuaded as is. We create situations and circumstances that justify the definition of inequality we have formed in our thoughts.

When we seek equality, whether for others or ourselves, we are implying that we understand and know definitively of a higher standard. It is almost pompous, and arrogant, and yet our 'search for equality' makes us feel as if we are pursuing a noble act. It is a great trick, a great illusion.

What brings about equality that is noble and genuine is found in its antithesis--inequality. The recognition of universal inequality, that wholly includes ourselves, is in an incredible equalizer. And in this recognition, there is no implied knowing of a higher standard, but a humble acknowledging that we are no different from each other; no higher, no lower, we all lean the same way. And with this recognition comes a humility that sobers us to things greater than ourselves. It is in this place, where inequality is found and recognized, that ironically, equality itself is found. Rather than the whispers of inequality creating a rebound effect towards searching to create equality, we must hear the more gentle, honest whispers of inequality and let it draw us back to the ground we all stand from.

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" Romans 8:22-24

It is in Church, where too often equality is sought after blindly--like sheep we are led astray by the disguised act of nobleness that bears no fruit.