The past few days have really made me stop and think, with the Norway tragedy and other happenings in this world. So much hate towards this and that, some fighting for others, some fighting for themselves and could care less about anyone or anything else. This world, while still possessing good, seems to be spinning on a self centered core, a me vibe and it is a little hard to digest. I was raised to think of others and do unto others as you would have done to you, to be considerate, kind and caring. To have respect for people and for animals, to not look down on someone just because of a situation or the color of their skin or something out of their control.
More and more of this world just doesn’t make sense to me, how can we be so involved with self when so many are hurting and living without things most of us take for granted. This past week I was throwing a pity party for myself. I was preparing for VBS crafts and getting irritated over lack of space to lay things out. My desk is in the corner of our bedroom so it is pretty tight on space, I had stuff laid out over the desk and on the bed and was getting upset over the seeming disorganization. And then the thoughts started coming, “If only I had an office that I could work in and spread out without everything being on top of everything else. Why couldn’t there just be one little room in this house I could make an office and call it mine.” Those thoughts were still making an occasional appearance the next day and then I received an email from Compassion International, the agency we sponsor our little girl, Simegn through. The emailed was titled, “About your sponsored child in Ethiopia”, hmmm – never received one of these before. The email was sent to everyone who sponsors a child in that region because they are experiencing the worst drought they have had in 60 years, food and water are very scarce and the food that is still viable is very high priced because of the high demand. People in this area are starving to death and I am in a tizzy over not having a space to call my own. Shameful, downright embarrassing. Moments like these bring me back to why I’m here, not strictly for myself and my comfort, but for others comfort when they can’t help themselves.
Had to run to two different stores today, on the way I heard a bible verse on the radio that really spoke to me, John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” I really needed to hear that, sometimes, even as Christians we tend to forget that Jesus, in fact, overcame the world, not a bit of the world, not certain parts of the world, not certain countries but the whole world and God still has it in His Hand. He is not distant, he is not gone, but He is here and present and with us.
I had to make a return at the first store and it was a mixed experience, the customer service woman that helped me was very nice. I was returning extra craft supplies from VBS so she shared with me that she remembers teaching at VBS in a Baptist church in Nevada and she remembered how nice it was to share the Word of God with children. While we were talking about church, the next register held the scene of a woman having an absolute fit because she was not going to be given a full refund due to the fact she did not have a receipt. She kept saying over and over that she works at a school and teaches students right from wrong so she is aware that she is supposed to have a receipt but since she gave the sandals as a gift, the receipt did not get returned to her and the store should just honor her word even though she knew she needed a receipt for a full refund but didn’t have it.
This whole scene was just mindboggling, she knew she needed a receipt but since she didn’t have it the store should make an exception for her because she teaches kids right from wrong. Last thing I heard her say was, “I am not leaving until I get my full refund and I will talk to everyone working in this store until someone gives me what I want.” She could still be there for all I know. And she said she has gone through this before with this store, so if you have gone through it before then you should know what to expect. It was just sad that the nice conversation I was having was being overshadowed with the negative, demanding tone of another.
Next stop was the grocery store, nothing negative here but something very positive. We wrapped up VBS this morning so I was wearing my Faith Journey shirt, the back says, “Serving God by serving others.” A very kind woman stopped me and said, “I really like your shirt, that’s what it is all about!” Thank you Lord for this woman and using her as the reminder I needed to hear.
What we do in the name of the Lord does make a difference and is not in vain. Although in this world, the little acts of kindness are often overshadowed by big acts of unkindness, don’t stop doing the positive and making a difference, no matter how small.
