a rant on love and kindness and the selfishness that inhibits them
It's so easy to claim to be loving and wanting to be an agent of social change, or at least a good person, but when it comes to acting, I know I fall short and fall into the selfish human being routine. Granted, what happened this afternoon wasn't huge, but I could have shown a man a simple kindness and instead I was too caught up in getting to class on time and hauling around my messenger bag and camera bag.
On my way to my REL 241 class, I was approached by a man asking for seventy-five cents for the bus. He gave me a longer explanation, and honestly, I didn't pay much attention because I was more concerned with getting to class on time. He didn't look homeless or whatever (not that it matters) he was just a dude needing fare for the bus. But when he asked if for the money I lied and told him I only had my ID on me, no wallet. It would have taken all of two minutes to give that man some money for the bus, it would have just been a small act of kindness. Maybe it wouldn't make a huge difference in his life, but for those few minutes I could have given up the selfish, self-absorbed human act and done something nice for someone I didn't know. Which is worth a lot more than being on time for class.
Mayhaps I am being too hard on myself, but I'm sickened by how selfish I was this afternoon. It was my fault for not doing my homework on time and doing it before class, it was my fault for not leaving BB earlier, then I would have gotten to class on time. But had I not done these things, I might not have even encountered the man. And I did and I was just another selfish human being caught in her own world.
What would it look like to really love people?
What would it look like to actually put myself aside and do good for others?
Why does this matter so much to me?
God calls us to love one another. There is also a verse in scripture that talks about clothing and feeding the naked and hungry and what we did for the least of man we did for Christ. Each time we do good for others it was as though we were doing that good for God. I want my life: my words, my actions, all of my being to reflect the love that I have for God. I just want to go out in love. I know I'm only one girl and I cannot make the entire world a better place. But through love I can make the world a better place for those that I share my love with.
Today was a lesson for the days to come.
On my way to my REL 241 class, I was approached by a man asking for seventy-five cents for the bus. He gave me a longer explanation, and honestly, I didn't pay much attention because I was more concerned with getting to class on time. He didn't look homeless or whatever (not that it matters) he was just a dude needing fare for the bus. But when he asked if for the money I lied and told him I only had my ID on me, no wallet. It would have taken all of two minutes to give that man some money for the bus, it would have just been a small act of kindness. Maybe it wouldn't make a huge difference in his life, but for those few minutes I could have given up the selfish, self-absorbed human act and done something nice for someone I didn't know. Which is worth a lot more than being on time for class.
Mayhaps I am being too hard on myself, but I'm sickened by how selfish I was this afternoon. It was my fault for not doing my homework on time and doing it before class, it was my fault for not leaving BB earlier, then I would have gotten to class on time. But had I not done these things, I might not have even encountered the man. And I did and I was just another selfish human being caught in her own world.
What would it look like to really love people?
What would it look like to actually put myself aside and do good for others?
Why does this matter so much to me?
God calls us to love one another. There is also a verse in scripture that talks about clothing and feeding the naked and hungry and what we did for the least of man we did for Christ. Each time we do good for others it was as though we were doing that good for God. I want my life: my words, my actions, all of my being to reflect the love that I have for God. I just want to go out in love. I know I'm only one girl and I cannot make the entire world a better place. But through love I can make the world a better place for those that I share my love with.
Today was a lesson for the days to come.