Humanity, Love others as I love you

Today I saw a rant online from a woman that witnessed several acts of hostility during her time running morning errands. She reported that in the gas station at the pump a man honked at the car in front of him while yelling insults. The man was angry that the person driving the car in front of him was not pulling off sooner after completing the purchase. Thankfully the car pulled off without further incident. Her next stop was at a fast food restaurant and while in line in her car, she witnessed a young window attended being read the riot act by an angry customer. The employee was red in the face. As it was her turn, she apologized to the worker for the irate man’s temper. The worker apologetically told her that he tried to explain things in a nice way to the man but he was unable to appeal to him and he added that the place was extremely short staffed. He also let her know that he was new and hoped that he would not anger her. She felt sad for the young worker as he looked defeated.

Moving on, her next observation was in general traffic where she actually saw someone hit another persons parked car then drove off, leaving everyone watching in a gasp of disbelief. The positive thing about her post was how it began. This woman’s post began with, “ I know that it is the hot summer and life can be stressful, but why take it out on one another.” What really caught my attention is the countless comments from other readers, agreeing with her and many of them shared their own observations of intolerance, insensitivity and impatience by people in their world. Everyone agreed that we can all use more of kindness and consideration during our days.

Perhaps the young man working the fast food store window was a new worker and did not know his job well or how to communicate smoothly in this job or perhaps it’s the wrong job for him all together, but what is achieved in demeaning him.

Well, perhaps he will be urged to learn faster and grow a tougher skin but the aggressive reaction is not necessary. Imagine if the man that yelled at the fast food trainee, had been empathetic and encouraged the worker instead of acting out or if he just cancelled his order and said “thanks anyway”. The outcome may not have changed one bit. Therefore, why create sin that is self serving but ultimately is self destructive. The intent is to let off steam or insult someone else, but the more extreme punishment is to one’s self. Most of us have people that we love and respect but what about our Interaction with everyone we encounter. We can all identify with the online rant left by this woman. Most of us have lost our temper in traffic or at a counter of an establishment. With a regretful heart, we are forgiven. However, as we approach the days ahead let us look at our neighbors with the respect that children of God deserve.

I am thankful for this candid woman’s post, because it opened up a dialogue on a topic that we truly should be talking about and something that we should all be working on these days. We need to address social conditions and find ways to make the world a better place in the eyes of God. With the headlines filled with articles addressing the polarization of man and the mass shootings in our hometown and cities, we seem to have reached a critical time to address how God wants us to react and interact with each other. We are by God’s command, supposed to love your brothers and sisters, meaning all people. God loves us all. Everyone of us is a child of God. Who are we to randomly disrespect or begrudgingly treat or hate someone especially someone that you have no real grievances with. It seems as though a kind word, a sense of forgiveness, a glimmer of understanding would go a long way.

Leviticus 19:17

You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.

John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye alove one another; as I have loved you, that ye also blove one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have alove one to another.

1 John 2:9-11

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes

1 John 3:15

Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.

Code of Kindness

Intolerance to Compassion

Impatience to Humility

Indifference to Love

Insensitivity to Patience

Injustice to Humanity

1Corinthians 13:4-8

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not

delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

In contrast, in the same platform I read many “thank yous” for random acts of kindness. One read, “thank you to man that paid for our groceries who was in line in front of us. We live on a limited tight budget and it means the world to us that we have the money for our medication this week instead of only buying groceries. Thank you”. In another post someone said, “We did not get your name but thank you to the group that stopped to help my son and I push our car to the side of the road yesterday in the hot sun. You appeared out of nowhere and helped us.”

It is always heartwarming to hear about these random acts of kindness. They reinforce our trust in humanity and encourage us to to be more charitable. Charitable can be a simple opening of a door for someone else or offering your seat to a senior. It can be as simple as beautifying your surroundings like the art featured in this blog that is found all around East Harlem celebrating the neighborhood and uplifting the community. Why not show your love to your fellow man, as we are showing our love for God when we show our love to others by obeying this commandment as given. I encourage you to have love in your heart and to be filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-20

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

John 4:20

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

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Prayer for Tolerance

Dear Heavenly Father, You created us. All of us You sent your beloved Son to redeem us. All of us You sent the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to us. To comfort all of us. Please fill our hearts with love, so that there is no room for hate. Fill our minds with understanding, so that there is no room for fear. Fill our eyes with wonder so that we may see only uniqueness, and not strangeness. So that we may love, understand and enjoy our fellow brothers and sisters to your glory. All this we ask in the name of our heavenly Brother, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.