Carrying Burdens

Every once in awhile, (well actually quite regularly) I find myself opening up new tabs because of distraction in the original search, bringing me to a place of discovery. That happened tonight as I was checking on a timeline of Chinese history, a subject that I find fascinating. One of the comments on the inventiveness alluded to the invention of gun powder (initially used only for fireworks). I guess it didn't take long for someone to figure out that it could be used in a device that allowed for a much nicer way to dispose of those with whom they disagreed than say: stabbing, bludgeoning, or hitting with a rock.

The gun powder thing, was old knowledge for me. But in the same section the credit for inventing a less threatening device was attributed to one Ko Yu sometime around the start of the Christian Era. Interestingly enough, the purpose was military and was treated as a secret weapon. The humble wheel barrow was the deciding factor in war in that troops who had wheel barrows had a tremendous advantage in keeping soldiers supplied in areas where other wheeled devices were impractical. It also eliminated the need for draft animals and their care and feeding. How about that? Multi-wheeled carts and wagons had been around for a couple thousand years. But an inventive mind saw a better way.

Interestingly (well maybe not), I just used a modern version of that old Chinese contraption to bring wood a little closer to the stove today. How many things like the wheel barrow do we take for granted, assuming, because we've never been without it, that it has always existed. About the same time as the wheel barrow came into the world, so did God in the form of Jesus Christ. Let us keep things in perspective good readers. Man's inventiveness is something for which we must be grateful. But there is no comparison to the exceedingly great love of God exemplified in His Son.