As I was driving with my wife for her birthday celebration
at Red Lobster we were listening to Mac & Gatos’ talk show on the radio.
This was a special call in session with a couple of questions to parents asking
whether they believed their kids would be better off then when they were
growing up? The real focus was on whether those parents that weren’t out of
your middle class suburb ‘White’ neighborhoods saw any hope for their kids
growing up in today’s world. The response for me wasn’t surprising but I’m
going to take a wild guess that for most that listened it was a shock. Is there
still racism today? Does poverty really exist in Phoenix? Is there really a
disparity in who gets hired for low end or high jobs depending upon their race
or religious background? The conclusion was that education does help me but I
have to overcome the stereotype of having the wrong skin color or religious
bent if I want that better job.
I had connected with a few friends this week where they
brought out the fact that they live in a predominately upper crust neighborhood
and realized that they didn’t know their neighbors and felt a little misplaced
when it came to the real world that does exist in greater Phoenix. I live in a
global city where soon I won’t be in the majority. My friends acknowledged the
fact that they were clueless as to what the rest of Phoenix was like until they
had worked with my group a little. I have kids and teens that go home to empty
fridges where their single parent decided to get high instead of buying food.
What happens when you can’t pay your utility bill? The power
gets shut off or when the water bill goes past 3 months it also gets turned
off. Most of the families in my area
aren’t able to pay their utility bill on a monthly basis so they have a little
box in their house where they slide a card that they put $5, 10 or whatever on it
to keep the lights going or in July the AC going. There is a huge disparity
when it comes to the impact of not loving your neighbor or more so not knowing
your real neighbor.
I think most at some point have heard or read the parable of
the Good Samaritan told by Jesus in answer to the question of who is my
neighbor that I’m suppose to love. The point of the story is that someone is
robbed and beaten as they are traveling on a dangerous road between two big
cities. The guy who is bloodied and has empty pockets is passed by on two occasions
by religious people who in theory should have stopped and helped. Yet, they
both had good excuses as to what precluded them from offering assistance. The
individual that stopped to help, bind the wounds and take him to a motel with
an offer to pay was someone that wasn’t of the same religious or socio-economic
background of the victim.
The point of the parable and of this T-shirt is that the neighbor
we are supposed to love or help is the one who annoys us, is the racist, religious
arrogant type or homeless person that has had too many opportunities to do it
right only to go back into drugs. The real issue is what does someone else’s
issues have to do with my present life situation? Is it my moral or spiritual
obligation to lift a finger to help? The sad fact is that too many have this
grid that determines who is worthy of their time, attention and help. Yet, my
experience is that no one is truly worthy of any help but when we have received
grace and compassion from God and others it will motivate you and me to
actually notice the neighbor that has been forgotten that is always in the
background. Think of how many Hospitals
and nonprofits have the name Good Samaritan and see how this loving your
neighbor that you avoid becomes hugely important if you want to see the world
change!
I laughed when someone already began a discussion after I
posted this T-shirt picture on LinkedIn about him being a long hair basest or
as I jumped in with being in the past a long haired Jesus Freak. Kindness and
compassion goes a long ways to helping both the giver and receiver experience
life as it was meant to be!
Love Thy Neighbor!
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