There is a story in the Old Testament which says that once upon a time
the trees gathered together to choose a king to rule over them.
First they invited the olive-tree; but the olive-tree said it was too
busy bearing fruit. Then they asked the fig-tree to be king; but the
fig-tree had its work to do, and also declined. Next they waited upon
the vine with an invitation; but, like the others, it did not wish to be
their king.
Finally the trees asked the bramble to accept the position, and the
bramble gladly agreed. The first order it gave was for all the trees to
take shelter under its branches or be burned with fire. That sounds just
like a prickly, thorny, little bramble, does it not?
That is usually the way of people who like to lord it over other people
when they have no ability for it. There are some who want to do so when
they are at a party. They want to be the hitching-post to which all the
people are tied when they talk. If the bramble takes the form of a boy,
he wants to be captain of his team, or he will not play. If it happens
to be a girl, she insists upon everybody playing the game she wants, or
she will go home in a sulk. These people cannot agree long with anybody.
They are quarrelsome and peevish.
Some boys and girls are like horses: they make good single-drivers, but
they will not work with anyone else. Some horses go well enough alone,
but when you hitch them with another horse they crowd, or bite, or kick
it. They cannot "go double," as we say. That is the bramble-nature
showing out in a horse.
This is a bad trait, whether you find it in a horse, a man or woman, a
boy or girl. Christ says: "You know the rulers of the Gentiles lord it
over them. Not so shall it be among you; but whosoever would become
great among you shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first
among you shall be your servant." Jesus also said, "I am meek and lowly
in heart." So must all His followers be.
If you are getting any of the bramble-nature, and want to lord it over
everybody, you had better give it up. Some of the unhappiest people in
the world are bramble-bush kings.