Here I Am, Stuck in the Middle with You

Will Rogers said, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

Even as a little kid I noticed that when you’re in the middle of the road, you’re in danger of being run over by traffic coming from both directions.

Yet Adam Hamilton has wisely, and I believe correctly, identified our United Methodist heritage as The Middle Way. He even goes so far as to call us The People of The Middle Way.

And suddenly it’s tempting to note that it sounds like we’re at a carnival, strolling along The Midway.

But a quick check reveals that “moderation in all things,” according to the site Oxford Reference, is found in the work of the Greek poet Hesiod (c.700 bc). He observes that “moderation is best in all things.” Centuries later the Roman playwright Plautus (c. 250–184 bc), wrapped it up with the conclusion that “moderation in all things is the best policy.”

About the closest I can find in Scripture is Philippians 4:5, Let your moderation be known to all.

With gratitude to Sky McCraken, I suddenly find myself singing part of an old Stealer’s Wheel song that goes, “Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.”

Hmmmm. [Please use your imagination and insert the image of my perplexed look here.]

What do you say? As always, I look forward to hearing from you in any of the usual ways, on any of our regular platforms.

And thanks in advance.