Foolish Things
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord .” – I Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV
Sat and talked with a man last night at the jail that reminded me a lot of the movie Slingblade, but even more so made me wonder if I was sitting with Jesus. Such a simple view of the world from a man who couldn’t read, who didn’t know scriptures, who didn’t know deep theological concepts, but he knew God. He knew Jesus and could share in little, broken and easily distracted gems of testimonies — in such a pure and undefiled by the world way — that I was truly humbled. He would say things that we’re so simply profound while he was just wondering over trees and those he loved and prayed for.
Karl:
Reckon what you is wanting to know is what I’m a-doing in here. ‘Reckon the reason I’m in here is ’cause I’ve killed somebody. But I reckon what you is wanting to know is how come me had killed somebody so I reckon I’ll start at the front and tell ye. I lived out back of my mother and father’s place, most of my life, in a little ol’ shed that my daddy built for me. They didn’t too much want me up there in the house with the rest of’em. Mmm. So mostly I just sat around out there in the shed lookin’ at the ground. Mmm. I didn’t have no floor out there but I had me a hole dug out to lay down in. ‘Quilt or two to put down there. Mmm-hmm. My father was a hard working man most of his life, not that I can say the same for myself. I mostly just sat around out there in the shed, tinkering around with a lawn mower or two. Went to school off and on from time to time. But the children out there, they were very cruel to me. Made quite a bit of sport of me, made fun of me quite a bit. So mostly, I just sat around out there in the shed. My daddy worked down there at the sawmill, down at the planer mill for an old man named Dixon. Ol’ Man Dixon was a very cruel fella, didn’t treat his employees very well. Didn’t pay’em too much of a wage, didn’t pay my daddy too much of a wage. Just barely enough to get by on, I reckon. Mmm. I reckon he got by alright. Mmm. They used to come out, one or the other, usually my mother and feed me pretty regular. Mmm-hmm. So I know he made enough to where I could have mustard and biscuits three or four times a week. Mmm. But Ol’ Man Dixon, he had a boy by the name of Jesse Dixon. Jesse was really more cruel than his daddy was. He used to make quite a bit of sport of me when I’d be down there at the schoolhouse. ‘Used to take advantage of little girls there in the neighborhood and all. Mmm. They used to say that my mother was a very pretty woman. They said that quite a bit from time to time when I’d be down there at the schoolhouse. Well, I reckon you want me to get on with it and tell you what happened so I reckon I’ll tell ye. I was sitting out there in the shed one evening not doing too much of nothing, just kindly staring at the wall. I was waiting on my mother to come out and give me my Bible lesson. Well I heared a commotion up there in the house, so I run up on the screened in porch to see what was a-going on. I looked in the window there and I seen my mother laying there on the floor without any clothes on. Mmm. Mmm-hmm. I seen Jesse Dixon laying on top of her. He was having his way with her. Mmm. Well I just seen red. I picked up a kaiser blade that was sitting there by the screen door. Some folks call it a sling blade, I call it a kaiser blade. Got a long wood handle kinda like an ax handle with a long blade on it shaped kinda like a banana. Sharp on one edge and dull on the other’n. It’s what the highway boys used to cut down weeds and whatnot. Well I went in the house and I hit Jesse Dixon upside the head with it, knocked him off my mother. I reckon that didn’t quite satisfy me, so I hit him again with it in the neck with the sharp edge and just plumb near cut his head off. Killed’im. My mother jumped up from there and started hollering, “What’d you kill Jesse for?” “What’d you kill Jesse for?” Well, mmm, come to find out I don’t reckon my mother minded what Jesse was doing to her. ‘Reckon that made me madder than what Jesse’d made me, so I takened the kaiser blade, some folks called it a sling blade, I called it a kaiser blade, mmm, and I hit my mother upside the head with it. Mmm… Killed her; Some folks has asked me if I had it to do over again, would I do it the same way. I reckon I would. Anyhow they seen fit to put me in here and here I’ve been a great long while. I’ve learned to read some. ‘Took me four years to read the Bible. I reckon I understand a great deal of it. Wasn’t what I expected in some places. Mmm. I slept in a good bed for a great long while. Now they’ve seen fit to put me out of here. They say they’re setting me free today. Mmm.
LORD, search out those things in our hearts and minds that are hindering your touch, your power, your will, your spirit from overtaking any area of our lives. Don’t let us be puffed up. And let us enjoy so much around us that we can be in awe of about you if we would just slow down to look and listen. Amen.
Harold J. Ballinger 