The Cry of the Bleeding Heart
I'm fresh off a line of social justice/consciousness raising movies, so readers beware. It's really not ok how we treat each other. Really not ok. Whether we're the ones actually doing the harm, or whether we're just watching it and ignoring it, it's not ok. As one of the characters in one of the movies I've seen recently says, "I'm tired of writing about victims, but it's all I can do." Well, quite frankly I'm tired of watching movies about victims. I'm tired of watching movies where in the end our collective conscious is quelled by the fact that the Peace corps made an appearance and we saw a plane drop some bags of rice, "so it's not like they're not getting helped." I'm tired of watching the nightly news intently, waiting for the 30 second clip about what's happening on the other side of the world that's been sandwiched between the Pet of the Week and the 10 Minute Weather Watch. I'm tired of feeling like there's nothing I can do but pray or send a check and some "gently used" clothing somewhere. Is that really all I can do? It's not ok how we treat each other. I do not have a solution for Africa, India, the rest of the world or even America. All I know is that it starts right here. Right now. It starts with me treating the people that I come into contact with on a daily basis (store clerks, waiters/waitresses, co-workers, strangers, people who don't look like they believe what I believe...) with respect and dignity. It starts with me really seeing people, not just looking in their general direction, but seeing them. It starts with me realizing that I am not the only one in the world who feels lonely, angry, stressed out, late for work, frustrated that things aren't going my way. It starts with me realizing that I am not the only one in the world.
Definitely don't watch any (or all) of these movies in conjunction with reading Shane Claiborne's book, The Irresistible Revolution or listening to any of Rob Bell's podcasts titled Calling All Peacemakers 1-3. Movies: Pan's Labyrinth, Sophie Scholl, The Last King of Scotland, Blood Diamond, Notes on a Scandal.
It starts with me. And it starts with you. Let's see where that gets us.
2 comments:
Hmmm . . . I've heard somewhere before that there are really only two important things to be doing. One is to love God with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second is to love others like I love myself (the old "do unto others as you would like them to do to you").
I believe that you are on to something here with where the solution starts. It does indeed start with those around me. I am easily paralyzed with inaction because I do not have solutions for Africa or India or some other far off land. And how will I justify in that day that I acted in love towards those far away and unknown yet acted with indifference or animosity towards those near and perhaps dear? And I (let alone the world) will know I am a Christ follower how?
There is an elderly person in my life that is sick and in need of constant care, I have volunteered my time to help the family and was recently ask why are you doing this when other family members won't even help. My comment was simple, I'm doing what my heart is telling me to do and I'm giving back to her what she gave to me, help when I needed it. I can't answer for others but I will be accountable for me. Do we really know the meaning of love? She is my friend and stepmother.
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