am I heartless?
There's an intersection in Greensboro with a tattoo shop, Wendy's, 2 gas stations, a laundromat, and a few other things. It's a pretty busy and popular intersection. On my way home yesterday, I was stopped at the light of said intersection, there was a homeless man/begger there with a sign. I eventually rolled my window up, as I always do, as if he would actually come and cause me harm while I waited for the light to change. Homeless people standing at this intersection, as well as others, is not uncommon in Greensboro (even on great sides of town), so I'm not unaccustomed to this and have always been quite aware of people who are in destitute situations. My momma used to run a ministry that provided meals, clothes, and Gospel for those in need in rough parts of Charlotte. Helping those in need was a passion of hers, and me being raised up with that, adopted a lot of that same compassion for the destitute.
But looking at my life now, I wonder what I am doing to express that compassion in my life. I see people on the side of the street, like the man yesterday, and I hear of grave, small and large scale injustices happening all over the world that make my heart hurt and my stomach turn and my eyes water...but what do I do about it? I know that I cannot fix everything, because I am one person limited by so much and am not aware of everything. I'm not God, limitless and all-knowing.
Just like I am legally bound to speak up if I suspect/know of abuse or the like happening to my students, I believe anyone who is remotely aware of social injustice is responsible for doing something to change circumstances, it is our duty. This could mean: giving money to an organization that helps people (Red Cross, soup kitchen, sponsoring a Compassion child, or just straight to someone you know is in need), giving your time/energies (my Charlotte church teaches English to a refugee community, helping a disabled friend/neighbor do laundry), or giving your other resources (my Greensboro church fills bookbags full of food and gives them to children to take home to their families that are in need, giving your clothes to someone you know needs them instead of just giving them to Goodwill for the tax right off). The list is endless on how one can serve others and people are getting more creative on how to bring justice to others.
Not doing anything makes me feel restless and heartless. I want to do something; I like giving in whatever capacities I can, most of my life I have enjoyed giving in a ways that really change the quality of a person's life. How heartless do I have to be to not be doing anything, when there's so much I can be doing. The US has made it easy to give of yourself without ever being uncomfortable: buy a cute pair of shoes and a child in need gets a pair, give to a nonprofit and get a tax deduction, buy colorful jewelry and hand bags and help women who have been rescued from the sex trade. It's called consumerism, always chasing after goods.
I want to give of myself, not because I get something cute/tangible in return, but because there's a need that I can meet. So if I know that there's a great need that I can help quench, why am I not? I feel called to action. Consider yourself warned.
But looking at my life now, I wonder what I am doing to express that compassion in my life. I see people on the side of the street, like the man yesterday, and I hear of grave, small and large scale injustices happening all over the world that make my heart hurt and my stomach turn and my eyes water...but what do I do about it? I know that I cannot fix everything, because I am one person limited by so much and am not aware of everything. I'm not God, limitless and all-knowing.
Just like I am legally bound to speak up if I suspect/know of abuse or the like happening to my students, I believe anyone who is remotely aware of social injustice is responsible for doing something to change circumstances, it is our duty. This could mean: giving money to an organization that helps people (Red Cross, soup kitchen, sponsoring a Compassion child, or just straight to someone you know is in need), giving your time/energies (my Charlotte church teaches English to a refugee community, helping a disabled friend/neighbor do laundry), or giving your other resources (my Greensboro church fills bookbags full of food and gives them to children to take home to their families that are in need, giving your clothes to someone you know needs them instead of just giving them to Goodwill for the tax right off). The list is endless on how one can serve others and people are getting more creative on how to bring justice to others.
Not doing anything makes me feel restless and heartless. I want to do something; I like giving in whatever capacities I can, most of my life I have enjoyed giving in a ways that really change the quality of a person's life. How heartless do I have to be to not be doing anything, when there's so much I can be doing. The US has made it easy to give of yourself without ever being uncomfortable: buy a cute pair of shoes and a child in need gets a pair, give to a nonprofit and get a tax deduction, buy colorful jewelry and hand bags and help women who have been rescued from the sex trade. It's called consumerism, always chasing after goods.
I want to give of myself, not because I get something cute/tangible in return, but because there's a need that I can meet. So if I know that there's a great need that I can help quench, why am I not? I feel called to action. Consider yourself warned.
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