While in college, I often visited a nearby park to study on spring days. Not far from my favorite swing was a sandbox where young children gathered to play. On one sunny afternoon, their laughter easily pulled my attention away from my physics textbook. I couldn’t help but watch with envy as the little ones played, building “Dixie cup” castles without a care in the world.
Some crafted elaborate castles with towers and moats, while others were content with simpler structures. After a while, a few slightly older kids, drawn by the laughter and merriment, approached the sandbox. They weren’t there to build, though. Instead, they swiftly kicked down all the castles the younger children had made before any of the nearby moms could intervene. Then, just as quickly, they ran off to cause mischief elsewhere, taking with them the joy of innocence and leaving behind tears in the sand.
That day, I witnessed something basic about human nature, displayed in the simplest of circumstances. The world is full of castle builders and castle kickers. As for each of us, we must choose daily which we will be. (Psa. 1:1-2)
—Dan Bruce