Who Do You Look Down On?

[Cyprium]

I recently saw part of show that detailed the life of a woman who had kept so much this and that in her house that she literaly couldn't walk through the place without walking on her mountains of possessions. It wasn't the star of the show that caught my attention, however... it was her unknown house guest.

 

The woman's house had become so overwhelmed with possessions that she failed to notice for some time that a homeless lady had moved into her basement. The show never mentioned what happened to that homeless woman or what the pack-rat home owner did when she discovered her, though obviously she wasn't there anymore. The only other mention of her was by a relative of the pack-rat who dubbed her "Scary Mary".

 

So i began to think... what irony. Someone has so much that they failed to notice that someone who had nothing moved in with them. Interesting. I also began to wonder what i would do if i found a homeless person squatting in my residence. I know what most would do...call the police. Should that be the answer though? What would i want if i had no where to go and no one to help me? What if i was scruffy and dirty and unkempt, hadn't bathed in days and had no where to do so? What if i were malnourished and my clothes were old and full of holes and didn't keep the cold out? Would i want people to care less for me if that was my state of affairs?

 

We know we ought not to look down on others...we all would probably say that we don't look down on "anyone", because as believers we all know that this is the right way for a Christian to behave. So who is "anyone" when we make this claim? Are we really thinking about "everyone"...or are we just usually thinking about "someone"?

 

Our anyones are usually the people we normally see. Friends and family, co-workers and employers, the folks that sell us our this and thats at various places. They don't frequently include all those people that we don't usually see or that we try not to see. They often aren't the elderly man with missing limbs....or the drug addict sifting through a dumptster, the child with the horrible deformity or the troubled looking teen with the black clothes and several piercings.

 

Appearances tend to mean a lot in this world. Even as believers, we're not immune. We often justify our attitudes of superiority towards others in terms of what we assume they deserve in their present state or else justify our discomfort with them by way of vocalizing our pity.

 

Just deserts aren't our domain. We could not deal out true justice if we tried. Pity by itself is ineffectual and self righteous, but compassion is the real halmark of Yahushua.

 

How blessed we are to not deal with some of the worst of the trials that this world can level at a person. How much stronger would we have to be to do so if that was our lot? We never know what brought any person to where they are, to look as they do, to be in the place they are. What we can know for certain is that each of us are no better...anyone could find themselves in pitiful circumstances, relying on the mercy of others.

 

What do we know about Scary Mary? Maybe YHWH has put her in this world to accomplish something greater than dozens of "normal" believers put together. Maybe you could find yourself being called "Scary _____" some day.

[Cyprium]

When it comes to what people deserve...we have to be awfully careful. In short..we never know precisely what someone else deserves. What we do know for sure is that all of us deserved the lake of fire before He rescued us.

 

I think that just about everyone wastes some talent...because to not do so is to be perfect...which we aren't. The best use of talent comes through knowing Him and allowing Him to direct our lives. that's where Matthew 25:25-28 comes in. We have the responsibility to use what He has given us to increase His Kingdom accordingly. It is an analogy that uses currency but the real things of value are what lasts eternally.

 

Maybe the least of the ways i see talent really used is in employment. People are capable of so much learning and so much application of what they learn than what they use at a job which fits a niche in the system. I bet you know how to do dozens of things really well that no one would ever pay you to do and yet they are useful in your life.

 

Most who find themselves in poverty or without a home have not come to that place because they failed to use their talents but because the system has not been designed to work for people...its been designed to control people. Homeless people often have to utelise quite a bit of skill and talent just to survive...skills and talents that others have never had to use or would never be able to use.

 

It really often seems that the less of an easy ride a person gets, the more insightful they become about what really matters. Be thankful you weren't handed everything... you wouldn't be the person you are now.

 

 

[Betty]

I come from a family where there is a mentally ill woman residing.  I thank Father for my brother in law not as often as I should, cause if he didn't take care of her, it could fall to me.  She could be just such a scary Mary; were her safety net to disappear.  Scared running on terrified , I have thought about it often, what would I do for her??? I have known some "street folk" and drifters in my day.  I love me a converted crack whore or a vagabond who needs a pack of cigs or a hand out.  I might have been tempted to bring one or two home in the past.  I haven't had too much loss doing so.  The blessing usually outweighed the cost, until they decided they couldn't hang with me any more.  That happened. lol.  I have also made lots of friends in my life, who all might not have lived on the streets, but faced some trial or troubles.  I have a title to a truck I haven't ever seen, I "bought", yeah sure, lol.  For somebody who needed it.  No I didn't get the money back, but, I know she thinks of me a as a good woman, thats more than I can say about some folks.

What does he say? I was naked and you clothed me.  I was in prison and you visited me. You better love those who need your blessing.  Cause the opposite of that is I was in prison and you didn't give a damn.

[Betty]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57343234/slab-city-a-desert-h...

from today's mainstream news

[Betty]

I found the verses :

Act 10:34  Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Act 10:35  But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Act 10:36  The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

and interestingly about the golden rule:

Exo 23:1  Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
Exo 23:2  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:
Exo 23:3  Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
Exo 23:4  If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
Exo 23:5  If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
Exo 23:6  Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
Exo 23:7  Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
 

This to me is the real golden rule.  How do you treat your enemy?  Do you hate him or her? Or do you pray for them to have the blessings of Father?  Are you willing to sacrifice your time to do the right thing in front of them?  Or do you act like the world does? That's the difference in being "Christ like" for me, any way.

Tristan, I cannot tell you nor can anyone who has done work with "street people" or "strangers", that every time every thing turns out good and dandy and every body is blessed.  Things just are not that "cut and dry".  But we are all called according to His purposes, if we are receiving a blessing from Father.  Part of that blessing is, being willing to share it with those whom Father asks you to share with.  If you don't, then you might lose it or it might turn from a blessing to a curse.  You ever heard of the lottery curse?  All that money and  9  out of 10 who have won it, end up dead on drugs with a divorce and a mini drama on Sunday afternoon cable.

    I have also lived with crazy and seen crazy and watched crazy and part of that crazy is selfishness, jealousy and a lack of willingness to forgive.  I strive to not look that way, if I can at all help it.  I thank Father for His hand helping me and teaching me and the life of Yahushua to show me how to do it in the flesh.

  ON the other hand, I try not to be a patsy to every con that comes along and these days, that can take some discernment.    Got any emails from Nairobi lately?lol

[Seeker]

well said

Cyprium said:

When it comes to what people deserve...we have to be awfully careful. In short..we never know precisely what someone else deserves. What we do know for sure is that all of us deserved the lake of fire before He rescued us.

 

I think that just about everyone wastes some talent...because to not do so is to be perfect...which we aren't. The best use of talent comes through knowing Him and allowing Him to direct our lives. that's where Matthew 25:25-28 comes in. We have the responsibility to use what He has given us to increase His Kingdom accordingly. It is an analogy that uses currency but the real things of value are what lasts eternally.

 

Maybe the least of the ways i see talent really used is in employment. People are capable of so much learning and so much application of what they learn than what they use at a job which fits a niche in the system. I bet you know how to do dozens of things really well that no one would ever pay you to do and yet they are useful in your life.

 

Most who find themselves in poverty or without a home have not come to that place because they failed to use their talents but because the system has not been designed to work for people...its been designed to control people. Homeless people often have to utelise quite a bit of skill and talent just to survive...skills and talents that others have never had to use or would never be able to use.

 

It really often seems that the less of an easy ride a person gets, the more insightful they become about what really matters. Be thankful you weren't handed everything... you wouldn't be the person you are now.