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Page 4A - Pike County Journal Reporter - Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Opinions
Ruffin’s Renderings: A theory of everything
BY MIKE RUFFIN
ruffinml@gmail.com
S ome scientists
dream of and work
on developing a
theory of everything. Ac
cording to Space.com,
A theory of everything
(TOE) is a hypothetical
framework explaining all
known physical phenom
ena in the universe. Re
searchers have searched
for such a model ever
since the development of
quantum mechanics and
Albert Einstein’s theory of
relativity in the early 20th
century.
Each of these pillars of
modern physics describes
its respective area of
inquiry — the very small
est and the most massive
things in the cosmos —
with astounding accu
racy, but both quantum
mechanics and relativity
fail when applied to each
other’s subject matter. So
far, an overarching theory
of everything has eluded
scientists, and some be
lieve the ultimate goal is
unrealistic.
Now, I readily admit
that 1 don’t understand
what most of that means.
But 1 appreciate and
admire the goal. It would
be great to have a theory
that explains everything
that exists—from the tini
est to the largest—in the
created world. 1 also ap
preciate and admire both
the persistence of those
scientists who keep
pushing toward develop
ing such a theory and the
humility of those who
don’t think it possible to
find one.
I write about the Bible
rather than about sci
ence. And while 1 am not
claiming that the Scrip
ture passage I’m
writing about
here—Hebrews
1:1-4; 2:5-12—is
trying to offer
a theory of
everything, 1 am
saying that it
pulls together
and presents
some of the cen
tral elements
of God’s plan of
salvation. We
can look at what the au
thor of Hebrews says and
think, “Well, that doesn’t
say everything we need
to know, but it sure says
a lot of it.”
For one thing, the
writer of the book of
Hebrews says that God
created the universe
through God’s Son (1:2).
So, God’s Son has been
involved in God’s cre
ative work from the be
ginning. This means that
he has always
been involved
in God’s pur
poses, plans,
and actions.
And since the
Son also “sus
tains all things”
(v. 3), he
continues to be
involved in the
ongoing work
of creation.
The writer
also says that Jesus
is the culmination of
what God wants us to
know. God had previ
ously spoken through the
prophets—and people
needed to hear and heed
the prophets’ words,
which came from God
(1:1)—“but in these last
days he has spoken to
us by a Son...” (v. 2a).
The prophets spoke and
lived the word of God.
Their words and actions
helped bring about God’s
will and purposes in the
world. The preaching of
the prophets paved the
way for the coming of
God’s Son into the world.
But the Son of God is the
Word of God who was
with God and was God
(Jn 1:1). He is the Word
of God who was made
flesh and dwelled among
us. He was filled with
God’s grace and truth (Jn
1:14). The Son shows us
everything we need to
know about who God is
(Heb 1:3a).
The writer also says
that God’s Son has ac
complished the work of
salvation (1:3). He “made
purification for sins”
(1:3b) by dying on the
cross. He suffered and
died to make God’s grace
available to everyone
(2:9). Having perfectly
accomplished his saving
work through his suf
fering and death, God’s
Son entered his glory
(2:9) and took his place
at God’s right hand (1:3).
And because of what the
Son has accomplished,
we too will enter glory
(2:10).
So, perhaps you can
see why I suggest think
ing about Hebrews 1:14;
2:5-12 as a Christian
theory of everything. Our
writer covers the sweep
of God’s plan of salvation
from creation to glori
fication, with the cross
of Christ standing at the
center of it all.
But it isn’t just a
theory
It’s the Gospel truth.
Mike Ruffin is a Barnesville native
who lives and works in Macon. His
new book, Praying with Matthew,
is available at helwys.com and at
Amazon.
What’s in a name?
THINKING FOR A CHANGE
1 was supposed to be
named Deborah Lou Ben
ton. Lou was my father’s
mother’s
middle
name.
However,
the year
before
1 was
born my
father’s sister gave birth
to a little girl whom she
named Bonnie Lou Fuller.
Sadly, Bonnie only used
that name for three years
because she died of leu
kemia at that tender age.
So, when 1 came along
that year later my middle
name was Jean instead
of Lou. Then, when the
doctor wrote my name on
the birth certificate (yes,
that was a thing back in
the day) he wrote Debra
instead of Deborah. Did
any of that change me as
a person? No, Debra Jean
Benton is still alive and
kicking today 67 years
later, but my name has
changed over the years.
1 spent a great deal of
my younger years being
called Baby by my father.
That continued until he
was in his 90’s. Many
people will automatically
call me Debbie when
ever 1 introduce myself as
Debra. Some even call me
Deb. Now, there is nothing
at all wrong with those
names, and many people
prefer the nickname ver
sion. I, however, have pre
ferred to stick with Debra.
Does it change who 1 am
if someone does decide
to use the nickname ver
sion? Absolutely not, and 1
will answer them without
comment.
Of course, 1 changed
last names a couple of
times. Each of those
changed me in many ways,
because of the essence of
the relationship.
As the years passed 1
collected several other
names through friends,
spouse, children and
grandbabies. 1 have also
taught school which
brought its own set of
names. So here is a list of
names which I answer to:
Debra, DJ or Debra Jean,
Debbie, Mom, Ms. Davis,
Ms. D., Mrs. Kblinger,
Mrs. K., Mawdy, Monnie,
Grandma, Aunt Debra,
Miss Debra, Taz.
1 think probably most
people reading this have
experienced the same
thing with names. Usually
each name is special and
we all love hearing it spo
ken by our loved ones.
But there is one name
that we should all desire
above any other. That
name is not the one given
by our parents, our spous
es, children, grandchil
dren, relatives or friends.
That name which we
should all desire above
all others is the name
our Maker, the Holy God,
gives us when we accept
His salvation. We become
child of God. No other
name can hold as much
importance or worth to
us. This is the name that
will last an eternity Does
this name change who 1
am? It absolutely does! As
1 take on more and more
of my heavenly Father’s
characteristics 1 am
changed. The Bible says,
“And we all, who with un
veiled faces contemplate
the Lord’s glory, are being
transformed (changed)
into His image with ever
increasing glory, which
comes from the Lord, who
is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthi
ans 3:18 N1V.
So, friend, enjoy being
you and all the names
that have been given
you in your lifetime, but
please don’t miss taking
on the most important
name, the one which will
last forever!
DEBRA KIBLINGER
Rocky road
BY ANTHONY VINSON
advkdv@att.net
“Trump won! Biden
is not my
presi
dent!”
Well, no,
he didn’t,
and yes,
he is. It
really is
It was equally simple
20 years ago when the
names and parties were
different, but the senti
ment was the same:
Bush was president and
Gore lost the election.
Of course, Gore chose
not to throw a hissy fit
and decry the process
as rigged, even though
he had sufficient rea
son. He instead chose
the high road.
The fabled high road
is not well-travelled.
Just ask Robert Frost.
In current vernacular,
taking the high road
refers to making the
moral choice, doing the
right thing, or making a
painful personal choice
in service of the greater
good. Oh sure, every
one thinks they’re on
the high road, but they
also believe themselves
to be above average,
which is a statistical
impossibility.
Taking the high
road requires levels of
courage and humility
most Americans appear
to have traded in for
groupthink and tribal
ism. Evidence is sup
planted by belief, and
fact by opinion. Many
have self-sorted into
factions, each con
vinced that the other
is the enemy. We shield
ourselves within thick-
walled echo chambers
where we hear only
what supports our
beliefs and presup
positions, summar
ily declaring all other
voices not only null, but
treasonous and sacrile
gious. We dehumanize
the other side, tagging
them as libtards or con
servatives or worse.
Much worse. As Mick
Jaggar sang, “He can’t
be a man ‘cause he
doesn’t smoke the same
cigarettes as me.”
1 operate on the
philosophical certainty
that everyone is doing
the best they can with
what they’ve got. This
is not to excuse bad
behavior, or to deny
that everyone could do
better, but rather an
acceptance that we are
who we are because of
who we were.
We exist as the total
sum of a great big ball
of lots of stuff, most of
which was beyond our
control, including our
genome, our upbring
ing, our schooling, our
influences, our access
to nutrition and health
care ... we are pro
grammed, as it were,
through those influ
ences and more. Our
influences inform our
beliefs, likes, dislikes
and capacities. Not
everyone was fortunate
enough to hit the jack
pot. Some, in fact, hit
the porta-pot.
1 was among the for
tunate, raised in a lower
middle-class family by
parents who, while far
from perfect, did their
best by me and my sib
lings. We were fed and
clothed and nurtured.
Even so 1 managed to
come away with enough
anxieties and insecuri
ties to keep a team of
mental health profes
sionals in gas and gro
ceries for decades. My
personal great big ball
of lots of stuff formed a
left-of-center libertarian
secular humanist. 1 am
what 1 am, but one thing
1 am not is your enemy.
Well, at least 1 don’t
want to be your enemy.
We never get ev
erything we want, but
to again summon the
Rolling Stones, if we
try “sometimes we get
what we need.” Prob
lem is, what we need is
far too often confused
with what we want, and
what we want can lead
us along the low road,
which we fail to recog
nize as such because it
is congested with fellow
travelers, all convinced
that they, and they
alone, are right. That is
far too treacherous a
road, and 1 would never
travel.
Think about it!
Anthony Vinson is a freelance
writer, speaker and humorist for hire.
He lives in Williamson, GA, and can
be reached at advkdv@att.net.
that simple.
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The Pike County Journal
Reporter is the official
organ of Pike County, the
cities of Zebulon, Moiena,
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Publishers: Walter and
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r WHEN I WAS ~
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ALL 1 DO IS
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AT PIKE
BY DWAIN W. PENN
100 YEARS AGO
October 28,1921: Front page: The potato storage
house is ready for use by the public. Notice in an ad
jacent column: From the way the potatoes are being
received, the building will not be near large enough.
75 YEARS AGO
October 31,1946: A Boy Scout rally was an
nounced for Pike troops on Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the
Zebulon gym with a court of honor following the
rally Scout membership in Pike reached an all time
high with 76 members compared to 68 in January
50 YEARS AGO
October 29,1971: Five churches combined voic
es for an evening of singing at Hollonville Baptist on
Oct. 31. Churches with choirs and congregations
participating were Providence, United Methodist
and Christian Church all of Williamson and the Unit
ed Methodist and Baptist churches in Hollonville.
25 YEARS AGO
October 30, 1996: Incumbent Meansville mayor
Tom Burns, challenged by Dan Hamrick on Nov.
5, contended that Hamrick had a garbage collec
tion contract with the city and could not serve as
mayor. Hamrick, who paid the qualifying fee by
the deadline, was on the Nov. 5 ballot.