Tag: loving others

Fear of “The Other”

by Linda Russell, posted in Do Something, Do you love Me?, fear, If not us, then who?, loving others
Don’t think hes not watching!

Let’s dive right into Mark 12:30-31, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” (Emphasis is mine, but it should be anyone who claims to be a person of faith.) How have we strayed so far from this commandment that God said was most important? Maybe it wasn’t before this era of social media and biased news, but it is now.

What we now have is what has been recently termed “contact bias,” which is described by Brian McLaren as a “form of prejudice or stereotyping that arises from a lack of sustained personal contact or interaction with people who are different from oneself. Without real-world, meaningful exposure, individuals’ preconceived notions and false assumptions about the “out-group” remain unchallenged and are free to flourish. In this way, the prejudice cycle spins on, unchallenged across generations. As prejudice persists, it becomes embedded in cultures and institutions, creating systems of racism and hatred, marginalizing groups who are stigmatized, dehumanized, scapegoated, exploited, oppressed, or even killed.” https://cac.org/daily-meditations/overcoming-contact-bias-2021-03-04/#:~:text=Overcoming%20Contact%20Bias-,Thursday%2C%20March%204%2C%202021,for%20who%20they%20truly%20are🙂 

Today, fear and mistrust are growing and being reinforced by the news and social media. Violence against our brothers and sisters never seems to abate, and neither does discrimination, which can be cruelly subtle. We strip our fellow human beings of their dignity when they are suffering, and we refuse to involve ourselves in their lives. How easy it is not to notice the misery of others! Will we ever find our way back to God, who loves everyone, welcomes the stranger, and calls us to open our hearts to those the world casts aside?

Since I really enjoy sharing the times I have been less than loving to strangers, here is one of my favorite examples: In January of 2005, my husband and I were blessed with the opportunity to travel to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and spend a year there working for Habitat for Humanity.

We lived close enough to the City Center to walk there on occasion. One morning, I decided to go to the post office and mail some letters before continuing on to work. My time was limited that day, so I moved faster than usual. 

As I walked down Falls Road, I noticed a very small woman, or girl, lying on the sidewalk. Several people had passed her by without a glance…and so did I. A few yards later, however, my conscience began slowing me down. “Go back,” it said. Although at first I tried not to respond to it, the call became more persistent. I went back.

Dropping my mail on the sidewalk, I sat down beside her. At first, I thought she was sleeping, but I soon realized that she had passed out. Nudging her, I prayed for a response so I wouldn’t feel even more guilty if she was dead. She gradually regained consciousness and sat up next to me. When I asked her what I could do for her, she pushed me away: “Leave me alone.”

“Sorry, but I can’t do that. You’re not safe lying on the street. I’ll get a cab, and we’ll find you something to eat.” 

“Look at me!” she demanded. “It’s useless! Leave me alone!”

“What’s your name?”

“Karen”

“Well, Karen, I am looking at you, and I see a beautiful creation of God”. My words were firm, but my heart was aching. She continued to insist that she wasn’t worth my trouble, or God’s trouble, and I continued to insist that she was wrong.

“Do you have a fag?”

“No,” I replied. “I don’t smoke. Smoking is bad for your health.” At that, both of us laughed. 

Just as I was preparing to hail a cab and take Karen to a restaurant, a minivan pulled up, and a young man got out, addressing her by name. He then gently helped her up and walked her to the van. I asked if there was a number I could call to check on her, but he said no. However, he took down my phone number so that she could call me if she wanted to.

Then, after they left, I resumed my walk to the post office, while questioning God, “Lord, what just happened? I’m certain I’ll never hear from Karen again. What was the purpose of all of this?” And as I continued to walk in silence, I could feel God speaking to my heart: “Linda, next time, don’t pass Me by.” OUCH!

THANKSGIVING: Thanks-is what we say. Giving-is what we do

by Linda Russell, posted in gratitude, If not us, then who?, Love your neighbor, Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has arrived, and, as usual, I have to ask myself: “Self, are you any more thankful this year than any in the past?” And that annoying Self replies…BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

This post will probably be my shortest ever. You’re welcome. It was prompted by a request from my daughter-in-law to dredge up a news article from 2009 about a kidney donation.

So, here’s the video: https://youtu.be/yZYyW3_KVms?si=1TWGdEM0wyeT02iG

The reason it made the national news was because it involved fourteen people; a fourteen way swap of seven kidneys.  It was the first time it was ever done and was made possible because of a new procedure that would allow recipients to receive a non-compatible kidney from a donor.

The funny part was when I had that initial conversation with my daughter-in-law I assumed I would just drop my kidney off at the hospital in a brown paper bag and they would give it to the next person in line. But, no, that’s not how it happened. Someone on the transplant team contacted me and explained that it would be on the news, but they would respect my privacy if I wanted to remain anonymous. After thinking about it I agreed to allow my story to be made public if it would help others consider doing it as a living donor. And the rest is history as they say.

I am posting this right before Thanksgiving in hopes it will call to mind Luke 12:48, which reminds us that we have been given so much and are expected to give back to others. Are we doing that? I don’t think he was specifically talking about an extra kidney, but who knows.

When you sit around that table, look at all you have, smile at the family and friends you have been blessed with, recite your usual prayers right before you dig in, take a nap, or watch football, are you thinking of and feeling grateful because you spent some of this year caring for those who have nothing, gracing the lost with the truth of God’s love, lifting up those who have been cast aside, not giving from your excess of time and money, but like the poor widow, sharing your last few pennies?  

Unless you have been living in a cave over this past year, you know you don’t have to look to the suffering in third-world countries to do God’s work. American children are still going hungry. Many immigrants have been ripped from their families and treated inhumanely.  Do we care enough to express our thankfulness by offering compassionate care in a way that makes a difference to others?

Luke 21: 1-4 tells us,” And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

Please know, I was reluctant to share my story here because I’m not suggesting you run out and hand over a kidney in order to reap rewards in heaven. And actually, what I did was far less than those countless heroes  who have sacrificed their lives for others! They had only one life to give, I still have another kidney and sixteen years later, it’s working just fine!

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!