The Heart of Man

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? Jeremiah 17:9 (New Living Translation)

In ancient times it is not rare to see two humans have a physical tussle.

These tussles sometimes lead to severe maiming or even death. Because physical bullying is common, strength is prized above many things. If you are not strong, another man may invade your home and steal…no, demand that you hand over your valuables or forfeit your life. All this because you are the weaker one and he, the aggressor, is the stronger.

It is deceptive to assume this particular culture has disappeared in the modern age. Just in case you are living in a deep hole near the earth’s core, you might want to spare few minutes and listen to, let’s say, ten people recount different daily experiences at work and other places. If you are patient enough to listen you will discover that humans rarely bully physically anymore. We have grown more sophisticated, and therefore have refined the art of aggression.

Humans now bully emotionally and set situations in motion to frustrate and break the spirits of others. The more power (political, economic, or financially) a man has, the more weapons he has in his arsenal to inflict deep and lasting damage upon the less powerful. This type of aggression does not even need a valid reason before it can be unleashed. It might be purely because of the way you dress on certain work days.

It is still the same old world, isn’t it. The strong prey on the weak. The weak prey on the weaker.

One thing is clear to me now as I grow older: people will do bad things to others if they can get away with it as well as gain from it. Also, some people have the propensity to walk on this dark path more than others. This isn’t because they were “born that way”, but because they chose to.

 

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