Atlas Stood

Atlas started small.  He grew.

His first burdens seemed heavy enough.   He bore the burden of working out his own salvation in fear and trembling before God.  He bore the burden of growing up.  He discovered the grace of Christ.  He bore up.

He took on more burdens before he was ready.  Mission, job, marriage.  He staggered a bit.  Infused with grace, he bore up.  He took on more.  His shoulders got broader and broader.  Family children hometeaching community neighbors friends truth beauty land heritage generations.  His shoulders are broader and broader.  His back is bigger and bigger.

Now it is only the weight of the whole world on his shoulders that keeps him down.

They do not fear that Atlas will shrug.  They fear that Atlas will stand.

They fear that he will bear all the weight of the world they can put on him, and more.  And that he will bear it with love.

If the weight of the whole world isn’t enough to keep him down, they have nothing left.  He will carry their world and them thereafter where he thinks best, and without their permission add even more burdens he feels fit through Christ’s grace to carry, and their little self-contained empire will not be self-contained nor theirs anymore.