On Making a Mark

I remember being so young, I wanted to make my mark on the world. I thought if I could perform so well I’d win admiration and respect. The ancients thought of this as glory and honour, but significantly, these qualities spread to include not only self, but family and nation as well. You don’t win for yourself, but for all.

            The mark you make will be your own mark, as it turns out. It may be admired or despised, depending on your gifts, limitations, intentions, inspirations and chances. You always make some kind of mark. Some marks are faint, some regretted, some authentic.

             You may also erase the marks of others. This could be grave sin or needed correction. Laws may be rewritten, antiquities destroyed, lives liberated or encaged. Lao Tzu felt the less done the better.

            I’m fascinated by the marks Jesus wrote on the ground when confronting the woman taken in adultery. What does he write? His ministry was to bring sight to the blind and liberation to captives. The men accusing her were blind to their own faults and had to be enlightened. She herself was freed to make her fair mark. Make it so.