Louis Cassels wrote: The most common of all human sins is putting people down. An arguable statement, it does touch well on a major evidence of some ugliness in human nature. Importantly, the put-down misses understanding of what is needed to draw better life for and from human beings. The put-down is mean spirited and life damaging. The practice begins early. The child tattles on sister to put down a sibling and raise his own stock. Report card time is often the put-down highlight of parents to children. Parents doing nothing for the improvement of academic performance in their children, find time to berate them for less than stellar achievement.
The put-down is an ancient practice. The Aztec word for baby is ugly thing a term used to discourage evil spirits from harming children. Even the devil will not be interested in the ugly child. Pearl Buck, in her eminent book, The Good Earth, recited the use of the practice among Chinese peasants, to deceive evil spirits. Our younger daughter, many years ago, wrote us from college, a Christian college: The only thing I don’t like here is the pervading negativeness. The administration has to be put down, the code has to be put down – in short everything has to be put down! I’m tired of it already and refuse to be a part of it. She was reared in a positive environment where the good in persons and things was to be emphasized. We insisted her growing-up environment had to be affirmative for herself and others. Life is difficult enough for every person without mean psycho-blocking to resist its progress.
Scripture records a number of put-down experiences some of which are well known but may not be seen for what they were – or are. Adam started it: The woman thou gavest me made me do it. Joseph’s brothers put him down (also, in a well), as did David’s centuries later, just before the foray against Goliath. The put down of Mordecai by Haman in the Book of Esther ultimately led to the destruction of Haman. The disciples put down the women who were trying to reach Jesus – to bless their children. One wonders what there is in human beings that would cause them to subject Jesus to the indignities added on at the crucifixion. The soldiers’ mockery of Jesus rightly brings an empathetic person to tears. They plaited a crown of thorns for his head. They mocked him with, Hail King of the Jews. They spat on him. Beatings and crucifixion were not enough.
Self-worth is, for masses of the population, a fragile thing. We are quickly wounded and slow to heal. Rutherford said, Blessed are those who heal us from our self-despising. Some persons, said Jourard, have the gift to inspirit us. That is exactly one of the major truths Jesus tried to get across to the disciples. He did not put down Samaritans, or women, or tax collectors, or the poor, sick, aged, or children. Helpful healing persons find opportunities to inspirit discouraged or hurt individuals, even groups. They may go out of their way to discover how to avoid dispiriting others. This ought to be a major concern for all persons, so warming life and ministry. It is a part of the gift of healing others. What families we would make, what societies, if we inspirited persons. Jesus loved to encourage. Take heart, he said. One of the honors one might receive at his or her funeral would be: This person was an inspiriter, and that helped to make one of me. Put the word in the language, teach it to your children, and practice it as a gift from God. Jesus made it habit with the disciples. We are living in an age that feels the intellectual (insightful) thing is to find what is wrong with persons or programs. To function in a positive attitude is taken as naïve. Not a true take. Not true. Not true. Affirmation belongs to life. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020