An interesting Class discussion, pt. 3

I would like to start this one off by saying something critical:

I AM JUST AS GUILTY

Whew. So great to get that off my chest. I'm guilty. I'm guilty in how I have treated generational poverty as though I am not one of them. I'm guilty of going in thinking that I'm the savior of their greatest need.

Like this one time when I bought some bread, peanut butter and jelly, and some Gatorade for a guy outside of a grocery store. While I had the best of intentions, I made little effort to know him, or pray for him. And worse, I bought wheat bread.*

Then there was this time a couple weeks ago when I bought lunch for a guy at Taco Bell. I aimed to make sure I made eye contact. Try to help the man feel like a person, you know? I think a lot about how Jesus would not just heal a person, but look at him or her, call them "Son" or "Daughter." To help them no longer feel invisible. But then I ordered the wrong thing because I misheard him (or was I really listening?). And then he ended up making a scene which was the last thing I wanted, for both of our sakes.

How many times I feel like I know what the person really needs. Again, compelled to pray more before going/doing anything. Not that prayer will make me do the perfect thing, but hopefully to make my attitude better within the situation.

Then that pride I had mentioned in the last entry.. how easy it is to become proud of the "good" I've done.

All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Psalm 14:3

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.. Isaiah 64:6

Just in case it's not clear. All means ALL. Okay, glad we got that settled.

There is nothing good about us. All our righteousness comes through Christ. We strive to do our best, moved by the Holy Spirit. We press on, and don't get caught up on our past mistakes. We learn from them, and we aim to avoid them, but we are human. That's what's so great about Jesus stepping in for us!

I'm guilty of going in thinking that I'm better than the person I'm helping. As if I'm the one to solve their great problems. Problems go much deeper than a missed meal, or being without a job, do they not?

It was good to talk out my thoughts with my mentor today. I was pleased to share about my Fusion students, who participated in a somewhat stretching service project on Tuesday night. I'm not going to tell you what they did, but I'm excited for what they learned during that time. I hope for the best, and I pray for more of a lifestyle of serving. Not because of anything I've done, but because what our Father has already done for us.

*see PBS special People Like Us: Social Class in America. A certain segment follows the debate between white and wheat bread as a class issue. I may not buy it completely, but it is very fascinating.