We live in a world where oppression seems to be a norm. The oppression comes in many different forms. There are those who oppress physically, there are those who oppress emotionally, there are those who oppress others mentally, even spiritually. The fact there are people guilty of oppression will not change. For some people, the experiences of life, well…it is just the way of life!

Those who oppress will met God one day.

Those guilty of oppressing others may be an ambitious person with the feeling of power and a recognition that there is not another person to come to the aid or relief of the oppressed. Ambition is that characteristic in life that can be both good and/or bad. It is good when a person is ambitious in trying to improve circumstances for himself and his family. It is bad when that same person does so and the expense of others. An ambitious person may not be oppressive, but if the goal is achieving the highest end without regard to an ethical standard greater than man, then the ambitious person is oppressive because those in the way must be thrust to the side.

If you played in any athletic sport, you know something about the competitive spirit. Perhaps you have not played in any sport, still the competitive spirit may reign in you also. I may be better than you or you me. If the one is better, is the better one a team player or an individual seeking his own glory and attention? On a team there are going to be players that are better at the activity than others; if the team, however, is not a unified whole, the better players will not overcome in all the contests in which the team is involved.

Some try to overcome a pain in life by working incessantly. Is this a team player? That person works and works, but at the end of the day, what did the workaholic gain for himself? He gained nothing but missed more than he can remember passing by him. As his life comes to an end, there are few who are near him because the workaholic gave little (or no) time to others, so they feel no compassion or empathy in giving any time to him, especially when he is in need of it. The strength in numbers is gone, because the only number he know is the number “1”, and “1” is such a lonely number.