IF I DRINK ALL THE COKE DOES THAT MAKE ME SELFISH?
image courtesy of photobucket.com
I have a theory or belief, I believe every problem that exists in this world, big or small, insignificant or massive can be summed up with one word. Consider the situations in life when we’ve become frustrated or angry, sometimes justified other times not. What is the root issue or cause of the emotion?
When we were young we rarely got things like Coke or Pepsi, when we did they didn’t last long. We’d share, but in a very animal instinctual, selfish type of manner. The ritual would start with the oldest, my brother Dean who some of the time would be the supplier of our extracurricular treat, due to the fact that he had a paper route.
Dean used the can opener to pry the lid off the 32 oz. glass bottle, he would take the first drink, or guzzle as it were, as much as he could until the carbonation burning his throat forced the bottle back to an upright position.
Still some left, Oh Boy! I couldn’t wait, but Bobby the next oldest had a throat of steel and some worry and anticipation fell over the rest of us as he tipped the bottle back. Fear struck our young hearts as Bobby started to empty the bottle down his throat, our shouts and pleadings most of the time could convince him to stop guzzling.
As he lowered the bottle back Bobby let out a loud, “AAAHHHHH”!!! As his eyes watered with a cat that ate the canary grin on his face. Still a good amount left and my sister who was next in line was up to bat.
Our sister Sheral had the throat of, well, a girl… A couple of sips and down the bottle came, but the sibling rule was only one guzzle. Sheral would always complain, “That’s not fair my throat hurts”! No sympathy for the girl, rules are rules… “Pass the bottle over”!
Finally, my big chance, I’d take a few deep breathes as if readying myself for an Olympic event and up the bottle would go. It was heavenly, cold, sweet and carbonated, life was good. I was going to show my big brothers what time it was…
But alas, my throat and stomach a bit bigger and tougher than my sister’s was no match for the two big guzzlers. Eyes watering, throat burning, burping carbonation, I’d given it all I had…
The fast emptying bottle went back to the beginning, the oldest. Oh No! My chance of getting a second shot was disappearing down the throat of my oldest brother! With less than a quarter of the bottle left and the next guzzler up to bat I knew my chance for another “up to guzzle” was ended.
Do you remember the story of Adam and Eve? What was the sin? It was disobedience to be sure, but what motivated the obedience is the issue.
Eve desired to be “as gods.” Her decision or choice is the root of all sin since that time. Her weakness had been exposed, like the serpent before her, she had forbidden desires to fulfill within herself.
That word that we’re all guilty of to one degree or another constantly throughout our lives and the answer to every problem that plagues this earth is this: Selfishness.
Think about what the world would be like without selfishness, it would be perfect, it would be The Garden Of Eden. Only God in us and in the world allows us to live above the flesh and instinct of an animal.
Thank God for HIs intervention into our spirits.
Sometimes Dean would pull Bobby up short to make sure Sheral and I got one last small guzzle. Being the youngest and last he would let me “kill” the bottle of Coke.
That was years before anyone thought of or I heard the word “backwash”…
Oh well…
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 10:19 am
UGH! Well, I guess backwash is a great analogy to sin and selfishness and what it does, but that’s gross! LOL
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 6:22 pm
I’m tellin’ ya! Not to worry, that wasn’t the dumbest things we did as kids!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 5:14 pm
Backwash is a scary notion. I don’t know how I feel about this, other than you just told a great story! I loved this!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
Thanks Jake, it didn’t have the same depth as yours today, but it was fun to share! I still can’t guzzle carbonated drinks worth a spit! (pun intended!)
Thursday, April 28, 2011 @ 11:20 am
Great story! When you talk about how it was such a treat to get a soda, I too had that same childhood! It was a treat to get Kool-Aid for petes sake!
What a world it would be if we were not selfish, but alas, we all have been or will be at some point in our life. Maybe that’s what knocks us back into reality over the cause and effect our selfishness has had, and brings us back to God once more….??
Thursday, April 28, 2011 @ 3:51 pm
Thank you Holly, how true, the consequences we live with for the selfishness we’ve used in our lives does point us back to God. The people who ignore the cause of their actions not only lose out on the wisdom, but they also lose control of their lives and the inner peace that God’s truth brings, even despite difficult times. That is very good point, well made I must say. Yeah, i’m with you on the Kool-Aid treat, but I definitely like the Coke more than the Kool-Aid!
Saturday, May 7, 2011 @ 8:11 pm
Good story,
I have never heard of backwash but I remember my sister and I would get a coca cola and get a bag of peanuts and put in the coca cola ,that way we would have coke and peanuts! yum yum
Saturday, May 7, 2011 @ 11:53 pm
Isn’t it the best thing to have those memories? I bet you guzzled more than your share! Thanks Patty for sharing the memories it is something that we all can relate to.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 @ 7:06 pm
Oh yes, we were plenty selfish, my brother, sister and me. Mother was the one who ruled, and it was seldom that we got soda but when we did, she would carefully pour it into glasses and make sure they were equal. I think the bottle way would be more fun!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 @ 9:16 pm
It was! We all still laugh about the little democracy we had… My oldest brother was way more mature than his age. I love to hear stories like this and share some of my own. Thanks for letting me share this one on your new blogsite Hazel! I’m honored…