SEEING THE EXTRAORDINARY

Tag: love people

  • The Other Way

    It seems to me that we live in a world with so many angry people.  Anger fills our TVs, social media, the highways, and the streets.  It is even more pronounced when some event takes place which ignites fear.  Anger is a by-product of being fearful.  When people are scared, feel as though they are losing control, or simply don’t know what to do, they can easily find anger as an enduring friend.  Anger causes us to lash out, to stop listening to anyone who opposes us, and to ultimately drive a wedge which should have never been created.

    This, though, is not the only way.  It is the easiest and most convenient.  It will show up with no effort and is fueled by the fire of others (there are always other angry people to get something stirred).  It happens almost instantaneously and just grows like the forest fires in the dry heat of summer.  But there still is another way.  I’ll admit my first response is to cut it all off – it seems to work better for me.  I can cut off the news, I can turn the other way, I can stop looking at social media – all in an effort to cut it out.  That works for a while, but, if I’m honest, angry people show up in all areas of life (and feel the need to vent about all their anger).  

    The other way can seem soft and cheesy.  But it reality, it is the only real way.  It is love.  If we stop to consider what whole groups we may be slandering to make a point, we may pause.  If we think of those we point our fingers and yell at for their supposed stupidity or imagined immorality, we may not be so quick to point.  If we pause to get to know someone who we have demonized or considered “the other”, we may find they are more human than we initially thought.  If we choose the way of listening rather than lashing out in fear, we may find real people have real lives and real love which may look different than ours.  It may just be we could live together, even if we don’t agree (what a concept).  

    I know this can sound ideal and a bit of a utopia.  But if we don’t work towards something, anger becomes our chosen output and no progress is actually made.  We simply become a bunch of angry, hateful folks who don’t even know what we are really angry about anymore.  And I just don’t want to live in a world like that.  So, today, I’ll choose love.  Maybe you will too.  That’s how change begins.

  • Be careful what you post

    I often get surprised when I read Facebook.  It is an open forum where people can post anything – regardless of whether they should have said it or not.  I often wonder if people actually read their words before they post them.  What bothers me is that I think people really do read what they post and still do it.  There seems to be so much hate expressed lately.  One post in particular really got to me recently.  It was from a person that I know seeks to follow Christ.  The post, though, was filled with hate for something that they didn’t agree with.  The image was disturbing.  I am not saying that as Christians, we should not post how we feel.  I am not saying we are not entitled to our opinions.  I am saying that we should filter what we post through the lens of Christ.  I try to follow the same advice when I speak.  I struggle keeping my mouth closed quite a bit.  But, I really find no excuse not to filter what I post since I can read and consider it before I actually press the post button.

    To be honest, that isn’t even what disturbs me the most.  What really gets to me is that Christians actually feel and believe the things that we post.  The whole idea of loving God and loving neighbor seems to really be an issue.  It is so easy to say but when there is hate in our heart, it doesn’t leave room for love.  Jesus tells us to love our neighbor – and doesn’t say that we get to pick the neighbor we love.  He doesn’t say we have to agree with our neighbor.  He doesn’t say that we have to be like our neighbor.  But, he does say that we are to love our neighbor.  And, putting things on Facebook that display hate is just not okay – EVER.  It isn’t loving our neighbor.  Even if it is a joke and it is “funny” it is NEVER okay.  Hate eats away at us.  Hate fills the places that are reserved for God.  Hate leads us to take actions that are not at all where Christ would lead.

    Maybe we should spend a few extra moments – pray before we post – and let God lead.  I don’t know…seems to be what we should do with our whole lives.  I don’t think our Facebook account is exempt.  And, may it begin with me.

  • The Night the Clock Stopped

    I was at a basketball game recently when something happened.  A stunt the cheerleaders were performing went wrong…a girl fell and got hurt.  I think my heart stopped and my daughter wasn’t even the cheerleader that was hurt.  It was during half time.  They always have the clock running during half time so the teams can know when to begin warming up again before they start the second half.  But not today…as all of this was going on, I look up at the clock and…it was stopped.  There was no countdown…for that moment, time seemed to stand still.  Those are the moments that become forever embedded in your mind.

    Time seems to stand still on a few occasions…like watching a car accident…or seeing something tragic happen right before your eyes.

    Or, like sitting at the bedside of someone as they take their last breath…People say that life flashes before their eyes when they experience something tragic or life-altering.  There may not be another time to say what needs to be said to people.  We may not get another moment to love on those that mean something to us.  I understand that may sound cliche.

    For me, though, I don’t always stop to really see people until the clock stops.  I don’t consider what I should or should not be saying until there is no opportunity left to speak.  I don’t often reflect on what I should or shouldn’t be doing until it is all said and done.

    What might our lives look like if we started seeing what really is around us…without the clock stopping?  What should we say or do or not say if the clock was to stop right now?  What do you need to change, even if the clock keeps on counting?