A Bone to Pick

“There it is,” said Cindy, pointing at the display window in a small Maine clothing store. “There’s what?” said Gloria. Cindy looked. The display window was empty! The huge walrus skull and tusk were gone! The tusk and skull both had been on display there for weeks. Cindy’s family had enjoyed having the exotic bones on display, before somebody tipped off the Feds. As a young man, the store owner had fished up the walrus skull and tusk in his nets, when he was working off the Alaskan coast decades ago, and then lugged those bones home. No harm, no foul. The Fish and Wildlife Service confiscated the goods because in the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, there’s a section against keeping a marine mammal’s bones, even if they were acquired harmlessly.

It seems sort of silly to send out our agents to pick up entertaining contraband, when there are serious issues we are contending with. No one blames the agents; they were just doing their job.

Gloria then asked Cindy, “Why is it that for years I’ve seen a gigantic whale’s vertebrae sitting in a neighbor’s dooryard -- an Official -- and nobody cares?”

Let’s Pray: Dear God, it feels like there are two kinds of justice — one for those on the inside, and another for those on the outside. We thank You for Your impartiality and for Your mercy. Amen.

Today’s Thought Is: God is merciful and impartial.

Sources:
Exodus 34:6: The LORD God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.
Romans 2:11 "For there is no respect of persons with God."