I don't understand my world. At one time I thought I did, but I know now that it is more complex than ever I thought imaginable. (Perhaps it is more complex because we make it that way.)
Presently my thoughts and prayers go out to the many innocent people caught in the crossfire of a war that is not their own. I speak of the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict and the Israel-Palestine conflict. What have these innocent people done to deserve such a torment? Who have they sympathized with to deserve having their families killed, homes destroyed, country in despair? What grave injustice have they done to Israel? What grave injustice have they done to Islam?
This sickens me knowing that far too many innocent people have to suffer. This current mid-east conflict is nothing new to the region, I understand this. This current conflict is nothing new to the history of this world, I understand this as well. I also understand that this is not the only conflict in this world. My heart aches for the millions suffering in the Sudan, for the countless children left orphaned in many countries in Africa because of HIV/AIDS, for the thousands left in despair because of natural disasters, for the many homeless people in the "civilized" cities of this world, for the thousands of children that will die today because of poverty, or war, or famine. I understand all this.
What I do not understand is why am I so lucky? What is it about me that spares me from suffering of many in this world? Don't get me wrong, I am very and eternally grateful that it is not me that has to endure such hardships. But, why am I so lucky?
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Why am I so lucky?
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1 comment:
The truth of the matter is no one is really lucky. We all have trials. We all suffer in one way or another. It's terribly sad to see and hear the tragedies that many people have to go through.
When we see and hear such things we tend arrange these tragedies in a hierarchy of sorts. We say that what we go through is no way near the degree of what others are dealing with. And in the examples you mentioned, yes its true that our experiences in this part of the world (North America) are in no way like that.
Perhaps then as Christians and as humans we need to ask what can I do to relieve the plight of others. So if we're lucky then we're lucky for a reason, to help those that are not.
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