BALL OF CONFUSION (You Sure Can't Hide)

Greetings Earth Dwellers.
How is your equilibrium? Are you holding on for dear life as this 3rd Rock From The Sun...spins out of control? Back in 1970...that smooth...soulful...romantic, group...The Temptations were into their "psychedilic soul" period as they were singing about Cloud Nine and other songs. They released one song of social commentary called BALL OF CONFUSION (That's What The World Is). As I listen to the song today...at the close of 2006 and the opening of 2007, the lyrics are still as poignent as they were the day they were penned.

BALL OF CONFUSION LYRICS AND COMMENTARY

LYRIC: People moving out...people moving in, why, because of the color of their skin...run, run, run...but you sure can't hide...an eye for an eye...a tooth for a tooth...vote for me and I'll set you free...rap on brother, rap on.

NOTE: Bigotry and Racism is still alive and well on planet earth...and it ain't just a Southern thang. Oh we may dress it up a little better...we may supress it...but just like a cup of coffee shaken...the reason coffee comes out of the cup is not because it is shaken...the reason coffee comes out...is because that is what is in the cup. The same with bigotry and racism...all is well when you are not shaken.


LYRIC: Well...the only person talking about love thy brother is the preacher...and it seems nobody's interesed in learning but the teacher...Segregation, Determination, demonstration, integration, aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation...BALL OF CONFUSION...Oh yeah, that's what the world is today.

NOTE: In a world where religion and education take the lower rung of the pay and respect scale...and where preachers preach one thing and live another...and where teachers molest our children...(of course not all teachers and preachers are guility of the crime)...it's hard to take to heart and our minds what is being preached and taught.

LYRIC: The sale of pills are at an all time high...young folks walking around with their heads in the sky...the cities ablaze in the summer time...and oh, the beath goes on...Evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul, shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon, politicians say more taxes will solve everything...and the band played on...so...round and around and around we go...where the world's headed, nobody knows.
Oh...great GOOGALOOGA, can't you hear me talking to you...just a ball of confusion...oh yeah, that's what the world is today.

NOTE: Drugs, sex and rock and roll...there's nothing new under the sun. Back in the sixties in a world of free love (translated: having sex with whoever you want)...cosmic enlightenment (taking drugs to see the world as it really is)...and music to express and manipulate the mind of the masses...the mood was revolution (as the Beatles stated...we'd all love to see the plan). We are still shooting rockets...kids are being forced to be adults at a younger and younger age with the advent of the internet and relaxation of the mores of society. We continue to throw money at the problems and reap more problems. The end of this lyric states WHERE THE WORLDS HEADED...NOBODY KNOWS. In 2006...we STILL don't know.

LYRIC: Fear in the air, tension everywhere, unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record's a gas...and the only safe place to live is on an Indian reservation...and the band played on. Eve of Destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors, Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand, suicide, too many bills, Hippies moving to the hills, people all over the world are shouthing END THE WAR...and the band played on.

NOTE: Fear continues to drive the world...anxiety, worry, tension, fear, unbelief...wars and rumours of war...all are still with us. People still have a desire for ABSENCE OF CONFLICT (in the world and in our personal lives). The Ball of Confusion keeps on turning.


In the beginning...whenever that was...this thing we call mother earth...was in a confused state. It was a BALL OF CONFUSION. It was (1) formless (2) void
(3) dark (4) waste and
(5) emptiness. "And the EARTH was formless and void (waste and emptiness) and darkness was over the surface of the deep." (Genesis 1:2)

Depending on which theological guru that you are listening to...this was either origial creation or the condition after a cosmic conflict and was a recreation...but whatever the chronological creation...it was a mess. The solution for the chaotic stew...was the SPOKEN WORD. The Spirit of God was moving...sweeping...hovering over the MESS...and God brought ORDER into CHAOS by speaking...."Then God Said...Let there BE light...and there was light" (Genesis 1:3)

The same thing can bring order into our PERSONAL BALL OF CONFUSION...which in turn can bring order into the areas of the GLOBAL BALL OF CONFUSION...that we have influence. The overall picture is overwhelming and impossible looking...but God's heartbeat is for bringing order to chaos.

"For God so loved the WORLD (kosmos)...that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). The way that God SPEAKS order into our personal chaos in 2006, is the same way He spoke order into chaos IN THE BEGINNING. He used the SPOKEN WORD...then...and He uses the SPOKEN WORD now.

"In the beginning was the WORD (Jesus)...and the WORD (Jesus) was with God...and the WORD (Jesus) was God. He (Jesus) was in the beginning (at creation) with God. All things came into being through Him (Jesus)...and apart from Him (Jesus)...nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him (Jesus) was life; and the life was the light of men. and the light shines in the darkness...and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:1-6)

NOTE: Many people today sit in the darkness of their ways...miserable... but to stubborn to admit that they need help. The light is shining but the cannot fathom that (1) they need a Saviour (2) Jesus is the Saviour. They (I was...and at times am still) may come to an intellectual conclusion...but they do not want to give up their lifestyle.

"But as many as received Him (Jesus) to them He (Jesus) gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His (Jesus) name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us (33 years) and we beheld His (Jesus) glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:12-14)

"For God so loved the BALL OF CONFUSION (and all the confused inhabitants)...that He gave His only begotten Son...that whoever is swirling around on this BALL OF CONFUSION....should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 Ruminator Style).

Oh GREAT GOOGALOOGA...can't you hear me talkin' to you...

Love and Non-Confused Kisses
Rod "Fighing Tempation" Boyd