Common Sense

     I am thoroughly enjoying my reading of Common Sense.  How I got this far without having read it, I don't know, and we won't go into the travesty that this shall indicate.

       In 'Common Sense,' Thomas Paine offers a well-reasoned essay on the foundations of our Declaration of Independence and our form of government.  The first thing my children said, upon reading the first part, was that every word is essential in understanding Paine's meaning.  Paine has become my most recent hero in this, that he uses less words with more impact - something I seriously need to learn for myself. 

      On page 3 of the Dover publication of CS, I find reference to John Locke in this comment:  "In this state of natural liberty, society will be their first thought."  The context of this statement is the necessity and purpose of government.  John Locke, in "Of Civil Government" uses this same phrasing in his discussion of the state of man, which leads him into the ideas of government.  (You can find Locke's original wording of this source document in CHOC.)  Had I not read Locke, I would have missed this obvious hint to the background of Paine's study.

      My next favorite phrase in CS is found on page 5:  "I draw my idea of the form of government from a principle in nature, which no art can overturn, viz. that the more simple any thing is, the less liable it is to be disordered, and the easier repaired when disordered;..."  Need I say any more?  (But of course, since I have not yet learned to choose my words like Paine, I will continue.)  Ever since I began home schooling, I have had people say to me, "Simplify."  It was, indeed, the best advice I think I ever got with regard to the scheduling of school and home.  Immediately upon reading this, it was as if a puzzle piece that had been askew finally fit into its proper place.  Of course!  We are often lost in the details of our schedules, finding that we did a lot, but accomplished nothing.

      Hebrews 12:1 tells us:  "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

      Ok, enough said.