No. 342 - THE LIFTERS AND LEANERS

No. 342
Jim Davidson...NEWSPAPER COLUMN
THE LIFTERS AND LEANERS

We have a wonderful ministry in our church that we call The God Squad. The God Squad is comprised of a group of men and women, mostly men, who help other people when they move their furnishings from one location to another. We have given new meaning to the old saying that “Three moves is equal to a fire.” Not really, actually we do a pretty good job of taking care of the furniture. Since there is a good deal of heavy lifting involved I have recruited some young guys who are really strong. I can truthfully say that I do as much hard work as anyone else but I’ve noticed at my age I do more picking and choosing of what to lift and leave the really heavy pieces for those young guys.
In a very real sense this is a picture of life itself and the way it should be played out. When we are young we should carry more of the load and as we grow older we should use our backs less and our minds more. In keeping with this thought I want to share something with you that was written by an unknown author titled, “The Lifters and Leaners.” As you read it begin to think about your own circumstances and where you are at this time in your life. Here is an insight. This is not about lifting heavy furniture but rather about your core values and about doing your part when there is a job to be done.
THE LIFTERS AND LEANERS: “There are two kinds of people on earth today, just two kinds of people, no more, I say. Not the good and the bad, for it’s well understood the good are half bad and the bad are half good. Not the happy and the sad, for the swift flying years bring each man his laughter and each man his tears. Not the rich and the poor, for to count a man’s wealth you must first know the state of his conscience and health. Not the humble and proud, for in life’s busy span who puts on vain airs is not counted a man. No! The two kinds of people on earth I mean are the people who lift and the people who lean. Where ever you go you will find the world’s masses are ever divided in just these two classes. And strangely enough, you will find, too, I ween, there is only one lifter to twenty who lean. In which class are you? Are you easing the load of overtaxed lifters who toil down the road? Or are you a leaner who lets others bear your portion of worry and labor and care?”
Well, what do you think? Did you see yourself in this poem anywhere at all? I sure did. Here I am reminded of something my friend John Miller said a while back. He said, “We tend to teach to others what we need to hear ourselves.” It’s like the boss who sends 20 of his employees to a self-improvement conference when he or she is really the one who should have been there. So long as we are free in this great country the one thing we have going for us is the power to choose. When we truly understand that over time we really do get back what we first give, we can then choose a course of action that will bring us all the rewards that we desire.
The sad truth is this. The leaners may think they are getting by with something when they don’t do their part but sooner or later the scales of justice will balance and they will get exactly what they have earned. I might add, these are the first ones to get a pick slip when business is bad. The real advantage the leaners have missed is something we call momentum. When we jump in and make a real contribution, whether it’s our job, career or a service project the momentum begins to build and we have set the wheels in motion for even bigger and better rewards down the road. At this point we have become a ‘lifter’ or that one out of twenty who has made our country the greatest nation on earth. It all starts with our attitude. (Jim Davidson is a motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034.)