_Social justice
_'Let's be fair about this!' 'Give a mate a fair go!' 'Don't kick the down and out!' 'If not for the grace of God, there go I...'
Social justice
How often have you heard these sorts of comments? How often have you thought about helping a friend or someone unknown to you? How often have you yearned to help someone less fortunate than yourself? I guess we are challenged by these comments or thoughts quite regularly. These thoughts are good - but what we do about the thoughts is the key point!
How much love must it take to help an unknown, especially if friends or family challenge your actions? Why do we have an inherent desire help others? Is it because it is the universally, right thing to do?
I believe it takes a special love - a true love - to do this: to help someone you do not know; to help someone when your friends encourage you not to help; to help someone who truly needs your help!
It saddens me greatly when I hear selfish comments, such as, 'every person for themselves!' 'it's a dog eat dog world out there!', 'the only person who really counts is you!', 'don't help them they are only using you!', 'if you don't look after yourself no-one will', 'if they were serious they would help themselves / get a job / have a bath /etc.'.
Real love desires to help all people. To help our family. To help our friends. To help others who need our help. To help those who do not have what we have! All this is relative! How each of us can help, or do help, depends so much on our own individual circumstances.
Watching television shows, such as 'Secret Millionaire', display how people who have so much yet also have an inherent need to help others, especially those who have very little. Interestingly, it seems to take a major wake-up call for the people on these sorts of shows to realize the situation. They need to actually experience firsthand how these challenged people live, before these millionaires can act positively.
I often wonder if these individuals are more concerned with being noticed publicly through the media 'for their good works of charity' or whether they are doing the television show for altruistic reasons, and are very interested in motivating other people, particularly the rich, to also become active participants and givers for those in need. I tend to think that both sorts, and more, become involved in such shows. I also personally know of a number of very wealthy people who do not want the limelight associated with such shows, but wish to give considerable amounts of money and time to the needy anonymously.
I believe that we all need to commit to true acts of love beyond our own safe, everyday environment. Yes, looking after family and friends is very important - so is helping those in desperate need. We only need to look to those ideal models we see throughout history to see that looking after our own private world is not enough! Consider Jesus, Gandhi, and Mother Theresa as classic examples of people looking well beyond their comfort zone. Consider those people you know of, or have heard about, in your own area in which you live, who do so much for others. Consider how you would feel if you too joined these people in assisting those in need within your own neighbourhood, town, city...
My favourite charity is 'Rosies: Friends on the Streets'. This group of exceptional people assist those in need on the streets in major centres throughout Australia.
The voice of the silent is an unheard cry from the needy, the poor, the ill, the lonely... These people, who have so little means, are not heard beyond their immediate existence by the noisy self-absorbed world.
For the sake of true love, let us all make a commitment to help those in need - from family and friends through to the wider community.
Social justice
Social justice
How often have you heard these sorts of comments? How often have you thought about helping a friend or someone unknown to you? How often have you yearned to help someone less fortunate than yourself? I guess we are challenged by these comments or thoughts quite regularly. These thoughts are good - but what we do about the thoughts is the key point!
How much love must it take to help an unknown, especially if friends or family challenge your actions? Why do we have an inherent desire help others? Is it because it is the universally, right thing to do?
I believe it takes a special love - a true love - to do this: to help someone you do not know; to help someone when your friends encourage you not to help; to help someone who truly needs your help!
It saddens me greatly when I hear selfish comments, such as, 'every person for themselves!' 'it's a dog eat dog world out there!', 'the only person who really counts is you!', 'don't help them they are only using you!', 'if you don't look after yourself no-one will', 'if they were serious they would help themselves / get a job / have a bath /etc.'.
Real love desires to help all people. To help our family. To help our friends. To help others who need our help. To help those who do not have what we have! All this is relative! How each of us can help, or do help, depends so much on our own individual circumstances.
Watching television shows, such as 'Secret Millionaire', display how people who have so much yet also have an inherent need to help others, especially those who have very little. Interestingly, it seems to take a major wake-up call for the people on these sorts of shows to realize the situation. They need to actually experience firsthand how these challenged people live, before these millionaires can act positively.
I often wonder if these individuals are more concerned with being noticed publicly through the media 'for their good works of charity' or whether they are doing the television show for altruistic reasons, and are very interested in motivating other people, particularly the rich, to also become active participants and givers for those in need. I tend to think that both sorts, and more, become involved in such shows. I also personally know of a number of very wealthy people who do not want the limelight associated with such shows, but wish to give considerable amounts of money and time to the needy anonymously.
I believe that we all need to commit to true acts of love beyond our own safe, everyday environment. Yes, looking after family and friends is very important - so is helping those in desperate need. We only need to look to those ideal models we see throughout history to see that looking after our own private world is not enough! Consider Jesus, Gandhi, and Mother Theresa as classic examples of people looking well beyond their comfort zone. Consider those people you know of, or have heard about, in your own area in which you live, who do so much for others. Consider how you would feel if you too joined these people in assisting those in need within your own neighbourhood, town, city...
My favourite charity is 'Rosies: Friends on the Streets'. This group of exceptional people assist those in need on the streets in major centres throughout Australia.
The voice of the silent is an unheard cry from the needy, the poor, the ill, the lonely... These people, who have so little means, are not heard beyond their immediate existence by the noisy self-absorbed world.
For the sake of true love, let us all make a commitment to help those in need - from family and friends through to the wider community.
Social justice