I just saw someone put this as their facebook status. It's a little upsetting to me…
Civil Discussion- Agree or disagree?
— "IN AMERICA- WE HAVE TO PRESS "1" TO SPEAK ENGLISH
IN AMERICA- THE HOMELESS GO WITHOUT EATING
IN AMERICA- THE ELDERLY GO WITHOUT NEEDED MEDICINES
IN AMERICA- THE MENTALLY ILL GO WITHOUT TREATMENT
…IN AMERICA- OUR TROOPS GO WITHOUT PROPER EQUIPMENT
IN AMERICA- OUR VETS GO WITHOUT PROMISED BENEFITS
YET, WE DONATE BILLIONS TO OTHER COUNTRIES BEFORE HELPING OUR OWN! HAVE THE GUTS TO RE-POST THIS? 1% WILL, 99% WON'T HAVE THE NERVE"
SERIOUSLY?????????
First off, why is it bad to "Press 1 for English?" Switzerland has four, count them FOUR national languages and their country is smaller than Iowa. They have a wonderful standard of living and as we all know, remain neutral in most international relations. Things seem to be going pretty well for them. The United States was built on the shoulders of immigrants. Yes I know, that's cliche, but it's cliche because it's true. Try going to parts of Africa or Asia where people stare at you if you aren't their race and you'll understand that our "melting pot" is truly something to celebrate and not shun because some people from Latin America want to make better lives for themselves. Whew.
In America, our construction workers wear steel-toed boots.
In Tanzania they wear sandals.
In America a woman can make a case against a man who raped her.
In Kenya a woman is given the same punishment as a rapist if the man is found innocent. As of 2009, not a single man in Kenya has been convicted of rape.
In America, children are protected by labor laws.
In India many desperate families sell a child into slavery in order to feed the other children.
In America, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
In China there is no minimum wage.
In America, no one can legally tell you who you can love.
In Zanzibar homosexuality is illegal.
I could go on. But I won't. Instead I will say that we live in a great country and should appreciate what we have. No it's not perfect. Yes there are problems. There are inequities and injustices that people strive daily to alleviate.
Jesus said in Matthew 25:40 "Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me."
The least of these are in EVERY country across the planet, and Jesus doesn't love the American "least of these" any more than anyone else.
Politics are complicated, but Jesus's commands are simple. Feed the hungry. Heal the sick. Care for the orphans and widows. Love your neighbor as yourself. As yourself.
If we can strive to live out these commands, regardless of language, race, economic conditions, or political borders, we are heading in the right direction.
