WHY

I’ve come to the realization that a big part of my difficulties in life is my ability to over-think EVERY aspect of what goes on around me. Why, why, why.
My biggest whys don’t have answers, really.

If there is a God, why would He allow terrible things to happen to innocent people? Further, if in fact there is an all-powerful, all-knowing God floating around up there someplace that loves each and every one of us on this big floating ball unconditionally, why, why, why?

Why isn’t there a big, booming voice waking everyone up at midnight telling us that we’ve got to pull it together? That we were put here to take care of each other? That it isn’t about money and power and property and selfishness and intolerance and hate? Maybe it’s because 50% of the population wouldn’t believe it if they heard it with their own ears?

Is it “human nature” to want to believe that it’s just not our problem?

Not long ago a woman drove a decaying old station wagon into the parking lot of our emergency food pantry. Within the car were two children and her obviously ailing older mother. She came in and asked if she would be able to obtain a bag of cereal, toilet paper, soap and maybe some milk.
The woman wore a wig. She explained that she had been diagnosed with cancer, and had been unable to work. She was pale, bald, and thin. We sent her off with groceries and our prayers.
Within a short period of time, I was asked by someone that had seen her come into the pantry if she “was from our service area”.

SERVICE AREA?

How does one answer that question? Was she from within the 2 or 3 square miles of the municipality we “serve”? No. Was she a human being in a terrible situation whose children needed to be fed? Was she trying to survive and care for her children despite her illness and circumstances?

This attitude of “I have and you don’t so you must be lazy/stupid/irresponsible/untruthful/not as good as me” is one of the things that truly add to my constant depression.
How is it possible for people who have been fortunate enough to be one of the “haves” to view others in this way? How can they possibly truly believe that if they have to share what they have that there is some sort of injustice being done?

I simply don’t understand. Not at all. I’ve seen unbelievable rants from Facebook acquaintances that go on and on about having to purchase school supplies that go into a community cupboard in the classroom that all of the children share.
Why can’t little Johnny have things that are better than everyone else’s? It’s socialism! It’s communism! I can afford the folders with SpongeBob’s toothy smile on them, why must little Johnny share them with some other kid?

With this as the attitude of so many, I question truly if there is any hope for people to come together on ANY subject and behave the way my heart tells me we are supposed to act.

Do unto others. How would you want to be treated, regardless of your bank balance? Regardless of your color, your religion, your social standing or any other thing that might set you apart?

What will it take for people to understand? Will they ever understand?

It’s not about “single parent homes” or, heaven help us all, prayer in school, or the word GOD in the pledge of allegiance that is creating this problem.

It’s SELFISHNESS, pure and simple, a lack of respect for others. A lack of respect for OURSELVES. A lack of simple humanity that tells people deep down that they are connected to others no matter who they are or where they came from.

I wonder how these same people can go sit in a church week after week and not get how wrong their view is. I wonder how it’s possible that their hearts don’t tell them how wrong it is to walk past someone that is suffering. What Bible verses are being read during the Gospel reading that I know takes place weekly in their places of worship?

Proverbs 21:13
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.

Matthew 25:40
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

1 John 3:17-18
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

I don't know what they're reading, but it certainly isn't any of these.