The Atlas Offensive

My wife and I were talking the other day how as human critters, we criticize others on a regular basis. Why? He became man that we might fully understand what it means to love one another and to live a life worthy of heaven. He gave us our faith that we might share His love with the rest of the world--forever. However, He also knew we would be persecuted for it. I, again, question why.


If we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, why are we compelled to bring each other down? When a person, an organization, a religion, or--you fill in the blank--is blessed with God's gifts, for whatever reason, it seems to be human nature to take the offensive and take or break that special gift or grace from God.

In Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand explored an interesting question. What would happen to the world if all those who work hard and are successful (I would call God's grace), who are also attacked because of their success, decided to disappear? What would happen if those who hold up the world had had enough of the criticism, and decided to let the world go on without them? We can only imagine. 

I am reminded of good friend of mine who had a very athletically talented brother. All through high school, in every town he played in, the fans booed him--just because of talent. Coaches, even, would use psychological tricks to try to take him out of his game. He became a target because of talent. Ironically, he was a very good person, and would have given the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it. But all that took a toll on him, and before he could share his talent with the world (he would have been pro), he took his own life.

I suppose we get so competitive, we want to make sure everyone is on the same playing field following the same rules. Mostly, I think it comes from jealousy. When someone has been given a gift from God, others want it for themselves, but if we have faith and patience, God will bless us with our own gifts--in His time and in His way.

Long story short, if a person is blessed with a gift from God, he finds himself at the top, so he becomes the target. It is just a fact of life. It is the American Way, unfortunately, whether in athletics, faith, leadership, or otherwise. Instead of celebrating the gifts of others, we pick them apart, and I am sad to say along the path of life I have fallen into that myself. We can't take it back, so we learn to forgive or be forgiven and move on with life. We can only hope it is for the goodness of mankind and for the glory of God.

Thus, if God blesses an individual with a gift, that gift is a blessing for everyone. While it is natural for Man to criticize that blessing, it is still a gift from God, and the criticism is that individual's albatross that must be endured. However, we should perceive it not as an albatross, but as a blessing because of a blessing--and Christ prepared us for it more than 2000 years ago.