Fix The People, Not The Barrel
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles
The following words of wisdom are from Ralph Parlette’s book entitled, “The University of Hard Knocks.” In the Forward of the book, brother Leroy Brownlow says of Ralph Parlette, “Ralph Parlette lectured on the basic fundamental principles of living which have made a people strong and a nation great. He fortified his listeners for life’s struggles. He himself said that he wanted his lectures to be a “little life when the going gets rough.” And this they were. His down-to-earth philosophy mixed with humor reminds us more of Will Rogers than any other man we have read after”:
I used to say, “Nobody uses me right. Nobody gives me a chance.” But if chances had been snakes, I would have been bitten a hundred times a day. We need oculists, not opportunities.
I used to work on the “section” and get a dollar and fifteen cents a day. I rattled there. I did not earn my dollar fifteen. I tried to see how little I could do and look like I was working. I was the Artful Dodger of Section Sixteen. When the whistle would blow – O, joyful sound! I would leave my pick hang right up in the air. I would not bring it down again for a soulless corporation.
I used to wonder as I passed Bill Barlow’s bank on the way down to the section-house, why was I not president of the bank. I wondered why I was not sitting upon one of those mahogany seats instead of pumping a hand-car. I was naturally bright. I used to say, “If the rich wasn’t getting richer and the poor poorer, I’d be president of a bank.”
Did you ever hear that line of conversation? It generally comes from somebody who rattles where he is.
I am so glad now that I did not get to be president of the bank. They are glad, too! I would have rattled down in about fifteen minutes, down to the peanut row, for I was only a peanut. Remember, the hand-car job is just as honorable as the bank job, but as I was not faithful over a few things, I would have rattled over many things (Matthew 25:21).
The fairy books love to tell about some clodhopper suddenly enchanted up into a king. But life’s good fairies see to it that the clodhopper is enchanted into readiness for kingship before he lands upon the throne. The only way to rule others, is to learn to rule our self.
I used to say, “Just wait till I get to Congress.” I think they are all waiting! “I’ll fix things. I’ll pass laws requiring all apples to be the same size. Yes, I’ll pass laws to turn the barrel upside down, so the little ones will be on the top and the big ones will be at the bottom.”
But I had not seen that it wouldn’t matter which end was the top, the big ones would shake right up to it and the little ones would shake down to the bottom.
The little man has the chance now, just as fast as he grows. You cannot fix the barrel. You can only fix the people inside the barrel.
Have you ever noticed that the man who is not willing to fix himself, is the one who wants to get the most passed to fix other people? He wants something for nothing.
Brethren and friends, Mr. Parlette was correct. We cannot fix the barrel. We can only fix the people inside the barrel (Matthew 9:10-13; 1 Timothy 1:12-16; cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16)
Source: Ralph Parlette, “The University of Hard Knocks” (Ft. Worth, TX: Brownlow Publishing Company, 1966), 47-49.