What2Say2Day? Yesterday I posted a few words about how other people around the world live in poor conditions and I made the comparison to how if they didn't complain about their life, why should I. That statement sparked a wonderful conversation amongst my coworkers as to how I can honestly believe that God is with the people in the Congo, or El Salvador, or even urban Chicago. "A God who loves everyone would never make people live in conditions like that." they said.
I agree. A God would never "make" people live like that, or make people do anything for that matter. The God I know is the same with every person in every situation, in every part of this world. This means that no one gets special favors, is loved more or less, or in any way whatsoever is put into situations that make one's life better or worse; not by God.
"So how do you explain all the bad things that happen to good people?" I was asked.
My all time favorite quote is from Mother Teresa. "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other." God, by God's nature, does not show favoritism. This would mean God would be capable of loving less; God cannot love less, or more. God loves us all the same, whether we're the worst criminal in the world or the greatest saint. As such the hope for a better world lays within us.
We see suffering in parts of the world on our televisions and we say, "Aww, poor people." Then we click the remote and find a reality show to watch. We read stories of hunger and oppression and war-torn countries and we say, "Something needs to be done." Then we turn to the sports section to see what time the game is on tonight. We partake in conversations about global warming, depletion of the world's resources, untruthfulness of our politicians, and why things are so bad in our world. Then we remember a joke we heard that day and everyone laughs. We know there are people in this world who go days on end without food, clean water, safe shelter, and decent clothing. Then we spend a night out with our loved one, enjoying a dinner and movie after a short trip to the mall, spending what we call "disposable income".
Perhaps, just perhaps there is no peace in this world because we've forgotten that we belong to each other.
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