I have been thinking...

[ChristianKitsune]

Yes, It's possible for CR to think of something..she does try to use her brain once in a while...

Anyway.. I am not sure where this belong.. and if it is even worth sharing...so..I apologize if this is considered SPAM. I also apologize for the length of this post, i just need to vent..

But..lately, I have been noticing things...

Like the other day I was restocking a grocery store for school items this hispanic man comes up to me as I was putting price tags on items.

He asked me for a box of crayons (I was in his way...) and I look up and ask him if he wants the 24 count, the 16 count, or the 8 count. and he says in a sad voice. "Whatever is cheapest."

I look at the price tag of the 8 count and it was a little cheeper than the others, so I hand it to him.

As he walked away, and even now, I wonder... Was he the kind of father who really wanted to provide for his children, but could only afford so much?
Thinking about it...it makes me want to cry. I can imagine the joy on his childrens' faces as he hands them their box of crayons. As someone who has experienced a slight money pinch... I can sort of relate, I guess...

I guess I feel very fortunate and also sort of spoiled. I mean I am only 18, and already I own my own tv, my own cell phone, my own computer and printer/scanner... and yet I still find time to complain. My parents are awesome and I have two wonderful sisters, who I honestly could treat so much better.

I just finished reading about stories of people who really hate their parents and siblings for the harm they have done to them in their past. and it really got me thinking how lucky I am. How awesome God is that I never had to endure this. (I feel for those of you who have gone through this sort of thing from the bottom of my heart. I can't imagine the pain you go through....)

but when I told someone I knew about the father with the crayons they replied with a very mean and border line racist response...basically saying that he was saving as much money as he could to waste it on something else.

Which led me to wonder.. how did society get so calused (SP) to the wellbeing of others?

Aren't we called to care about our fellow man?

I dunno... I guess... I am sorta sensitive..maybe too much.. this guy was a complete stranger...and I could be wrong about him. Perhaps I am naive.


sorry about taking up your time...I have no idea if what I said made any sense..

[Sammy Boy]

It seems you have a real heart for others, perhaps this is what the love of Christ has done to you, and how He has worked within your heart.

The more you are exposed to the fallenness of human nature in day-to-day life in society, the easier it is to become cynical towards the situation and motives of other people. Some of my work colleagues refuse to support any charity, saying that they can't trust where the money will really go to (to me, their comments are biased, for they readily trust their savings to other organisations that I think are equally questionable if the same rigour for "proof" is demanded).

I think as Christ works in us, He places His kind of love for humans within us, what I mean is, He teaches and motivates us to love others the way He loves us. So I think being sensitive towards other people is a good thing, perhaps one that our society could do more with.

Because of what Christ has done and what He is capable of, we need not become indifferent and give up on other people. Christ can rescue the most desperate and destitute of people (we may have been those kind of people once), and though we may not be able to see how, I think He would want us to continue to hope this way, because in Him all things are possible.

Perhaps God will call you someday to help those less fortunate than you (He may be doing this already). It will probably take you outside of your comfort zone, and may involve sacrificing time and effort towards that end. But think of the good that you can achieve in partnership with Him.

[Mave]

It's generally easier/simpler to accept my circumstances and to be grateful for them when I'm exposed to other ppl's circumstances.

"It could have been worse. Mave, stop the self-pity party and be happy, your ungrateful brat."

It's a humbling experience I've gone through, especially when I've been shamelessly whiny.

[Puguni]

I think we're all spoiled to some extent and fail to put ourselves in other people's shoes.

It's also a matter of looking on the bright side of life. Sure, there are poor people, but at least they never have to worry about trivial things, like keeping up popularity, etc.

[kaze]

It seems like these days most people have this mindset that they have to work hard to gain a lot, and what they gain is theirs. But it's hard to remember that the money they get is God's, not theirs. I feel like people have become more and more distanced from each other over the years too. Back in the old days people would talk to each other and know the people in their neighborhood and in their town. But cities grew, and technology advanced, and people can communicate without coming in contact with people. Communication is mediated through tv, computers, etc...this probably adds to the indifferent attitude of the majority of society.

Sorry about the rambling, I don't even know if this has anything to do with the topic, or if I'm saying anything that makes sense ._.

[Chii]

It seems like these days most people have this mindset that they have to work hard to gain a lot, and what they gain is theirs. But it's hard to remember that the money they get is God's, not theirs. I feel like people have become more and more distanced from each other over the years too. Back in the old days people would talk to each other and know the people in their neighborhood and in their town. But cities grew, and technology advanced, and people can communicate without coming in contact with people. Communication is mediated through tv, computers, etc...this probably adds to the indifferent attitude of the majority of society.

Sorry about the rambling, I don't even know if this has anything to do with the topic, or if I'm saying anything that makes sense ._.

I completely agree. I lived in a different country were people still knew their neighboors well and families would comute during holiday's and such. When I lived there it was much simpler much more caring environment. Here you have to drive miles just to go to a store...and things like that.
I think I'm a lot CR, I too care about things like that and I tend to see people's good nature before I look into their faults at least now that I have found Him.

[Zarn Ishtare]

I decided a long time ago that humans were boorish, stupid, and inhuman, and thus not worth the time or effort, much less concern.


Then God got a hold on me, and...well...I sorta had to change.


I could really wax eloquent on this, but I'll let you go with this:

People will always be people...and people are generally unpleasant. There are good people in this world, as society judges it, but there is so much badness that it does not even begin to compare.

This may not seem very relevant, but when you encounter those sorts of things, remember:God Is Love. It is through him we are gifted and through him we have been brought to saving grace. It is good and right for us to notice the wrongness of the world, and even though paradise will not come till Christ does, it does not mean we cannot try and make things better, for ourselves and for others.

[ChristianKitsune]

wow thanks for your replies everyone.

seems you have a real heart for others, perhaps this is what the love of Christ has done to you, and how He has worked within your heart.

The more you are exposed to the fallenness of human nature in day-to-day life in society, the easier it is to become cynical towards the situation and motives of other people. Some of my work colleagues refuse to support any charity, saying that they can't trust where the money will really go to (to me, their comments are biased, for they readily trust their savings to other organisations that I think are equally questionable if the same rigour for "proof" is demanded).

I think as Christ works in us, He places His kind of love for humans within us, what I mean is, He teaches and motivates us to love others the way He loves us. So I think being sensitive towards other people is a good thing, perhaps one that our society could do more with.

Because of what Christ has done and what He is capable of, we need not become indifferent and give up on other people. Christ can rescue the most desperate and destitute of people (we may have been those kind of people once), and though we may not be able to see how, I think He would want us to continue to hope this way, because in Him all things are possible.

Perhaps God will call you someday to help those less fortunate than you (He may be doing this already). It will probably take you outside of your comfort zone, and may involve sacrificing time and effort towards that end. But think of the good that you can achieve in partnership with Him.

I hope that I can be of some use to Christ. I have always cared about the well being of others...

I am sure that when I go to college I will be seriously humbled...lol...

thanks Zarn, I agree with you.

[andi]

CR, you've got a great heart. Thank you so much for reminding us of this!