A 10th Grader's View

It was the great transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote the words, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines."

Now this line may strike you as foolish, but look closely at Emerson’s words: Consistency, (meaning "firmness of constitution or character") is usually thought of as a good thing. However, consistency in the wrong thing is by no means good.

Saddam Hussein was consistent – by murdering countless numbers of his own people. Hilter was consistent. Stalin was consistent.

Likewise, in our culture, there are some consistencies that must be changed. Perhaps one of the least obvious consistencies is church attendance. I know many people who go to church – for no reason other than to look good in front of their peers. Our society focuses so much on outward appearance, that what’s on the inside seems unimportant.

But I Samuel 16 says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Foolish consistencies make for foolish lives.

We shouldn’t worry about our outward appearance; only fools do that! We should look instead at our hearts. Or in the words of another great writer, Dr. Seuss: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter; and those who matter don’t mind."

Andrew Stout
10th grade
Bristol, Tenn.

Out of the mouth of babes.....