All things being equal

Once upon a time, people were polite. They were raised to conduct themselves with at least the appearance of being polite and treat others with courtesy.

Now the phone rings, when one answers "Hello" one hears "Is *Bobby* there?" Not "This is Sam, is Bobby there please?" The lack of respect from the first word on is sad. Not only is the individual showing a complete lack of manners, but they are exhibiting the lack of respect they have for themselves.

There was a time when all persons in a position of authority were addressed by their title. Mr., Mrs., Miss, Dr., Professor etc. That imparted a sense of dignity to everyone. It helped to keep order and show respect for others. After the sixties everyone was on a first name basis. It made us all "equal". This practice is the more subtle, insidious side of a mentality born of raucous pride and envy. Vive la revolution.

The only place we are equal, is that we all have a soul made by God for Himself. Every other front has a hierarchy.

Michael Angelo, Einstein, Madame Curie and Queen Esther are NOT my equals. I can neither paint like Michael Angelo nor cipher like Einstein further the cause of science like Madame Curie or save a nation like Queen Esther. My skill in any of those fields is decidedly below theirs. It does not harm me that I am not equal to these people. Indeed neither these people, nor any other can be equal to me. I am the only person who can adequately be me.

To pretend that one is equal to everybody else is to denigrate oneself. There is a natural hierarchy in nature. Surely it's a no brainer that a rock is not equal to a swan. Neither is an animal equal to a human. Rocks are made to complete a certain function and they do very well in their own realm. Should we find them attempting to rule nations we must know that sanity has deserted us.

Humans, cultivate, explore, investigate, experiment, build up and increase in knowledge and skill. No other creature does that. We each have various levels of talent, intelligence and understanding. We are not equal one to another. There is a hierarchy among human beings on multiple levels. Having been created equal by virtue of the soul given us by God, we each fall into our own place in the scheme of things.

A good man is greater than an evil king. They are not equals.

Every human being is the only person who can be exactly who they are. In that respect, none of us have an equal. It is wisdom to know that and to be content to be who we are and to achieve what we are capable of achieving.

It is success to know, love and serve God while we live, so that we may be happy with Him hereafter. In order to do that we have no need to be equal.