“Who is your neighbor? It is the sufferer, wherever, whoever, whatsoever he be. Whenever you hear the cry of distress, wherever you see anyone brought across your path by the chances and changes of life whom it is in your power to help—he, stranger or enemy though he be—he is your neighbor.”
In light of the Tsunami in the Far East, such a quote takes on even more meaning. Couple this with a special I saw on ESPN about the many professional athletes that did contribute quite a bit of money and support.
MLB $1 Million
Michael Shumacher $10 Million (he lost his bodyguard in the tragedy)
Kevin Garnett $100,000
Tiger Woods $100,000
Ben Rothlesburger donated the Game Check of his first playoff game ($18,000)
Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, and Jalen Rose pledged $1000/point scored in a game
In total, $37 million were donated from the sporting community.
I look at these contributions and I don’t know what to think. Honorable? Yes. Desperately needed? Of course. Consistent? I don’t know. I look at Kobe Bryant and Jalen Rose, and I don’t think, “Humanitarian.” I don’t think, “One who loves his neighbor.” Am I being too hard on them? Perhaps. But they have a forum to send a message regularly, not just at times of crisis, and I think they fail regularly.
Are they Christians? I don’t know. But it teaches me about how I live my life, or at least how I should. It shouldn’t take tragedies to have us show love. It shouldn’t take the bombing of buildings to return us to God. It shouldn’t just be the big events in life that point us to God. God is in the little things. He is in the ignored coworker, classmate, and stranger. He is in anyone who you come across who is in need. Love is an ongoing action that cannot be confined to cataclysmic moments. Where there is suffering, little or small, there must be love to counter it. Where there is a neighbor, there must be compassion.
4 comments:
You know sam i don't know what 2 say. . . good thoughts but it. . . hmm how should i say this? 2 me it sounds a little strange . . . alright i am finally gonna voice this feeling ihave harbored for many years. . . ( and its not just aimed at you) there was a couple of years ago where i knew this kid he was a overall good kid , had his problems though. Some of them became pretty bad. Girl troubles , then drug troubles , things of that nature, and there were probably hundreds of self acclaimed christians with in hearing distance, and instead of helping or praying for him they judged and abandoned him. obviously, i am talking about me. There were many that i feel just turned away but i gotta tell you , when you did it hurt the worst. you always meant so much 2 me , more than i ever even said, and i know i told you a lot. its kinda ironic because truthfully , i've found more love in circles with gang members and street thugs then i ever found in the Christian world. understand me for what i am trying 2 say. i am not trying 2 blame hate or anger anyone. obviously i still respect you, i come here and read what you have 2 say. i just used 2 feel that the friendships i made were real. but i was wrong. i know lives get busy and people grow apart, but you were family 2 me , when is the last time you ever even e mailed me just even 2 say hi or make sure i was cool. and again theres others i feel the same damn way about. your the only one i think can handle being called out with dignity though. but anyway i mean no harm. PEACE.
Rob Furman
let the criticism begin.
Well Rob, I don't know what to say. I fell bad that you feel like I abandoned you. At the same time, look at it from my perspective. I was always there for you. No matter how often you fell away and came back I took you back in. Maybe I wasn't there in the way you needed. I was, and still am growing too.
But we all need to take responsibility for our actions, past and present, and move on. There are a lot of people that I don't contact regularly. Life happens. When I moved, I didn't know where you were or what you were doing.
But anyway, this is probably a conversation for another time. Thanks for your thoughts. Even if I failed in the ideal in the past, I am striving for it in the present.
i do agree with you sam, you were always there. and i was in the wrong many many times. i am not blaming you at all, you are not resposnsible 4 my sins. i have grown times i think even more than i know. i think that was something i finally had 2 relieve myself of. i wish i had the balls 2 have something that in person. kinda like finally letting go of harbored pain, thats a big thing im goin thru nowadays, the worst was the church, i want 2 be involved, but i just can't, its not the same as it was before, anyway something i have 2 deal with myself i suppose, i have so much confusion and congestion in my soul about christianity and life that are very hard 2 sort things out. maybe i'll start posting questions at the alumni site, it be intresting 2 read the responses anyway. thank you for your dignity.
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