Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Faith in Humanity

I'm generally down on the human race because it seems we're doing everything we can to make each other miserable. Granted, it's a few bad apples that screw things up for everyone else but when all you ever hear about in the news is those bad apples you begin to get the feeling that the planet would be better off with another thorough wash & rinse cycle. Every once in a while, though, a bright shiny red apple comes along and pushes aside all of the rotten ones and my faith in humanity is restored. Every once in a while somebody does something that makes me think we just *might* not destroy ourselves.

The link below is one of these shiny red apples. On the Jeep forum there's a guy who goes by mudb8. He's always there to lend advice and, for people in his area of the country, to wield a wrench or welder. Earlier this month he broke his leg and through a long story you can read in the thread it took several weeks to get a cast on it. As with many in our current economy he's living paycheck to paycheck and between medical expenses and time off work he was in danger of loosing his house. CB3, another Jeeper on the forum who lives in the area and knows mudb8, sent out a plea for help. Through small donations from dozens of people he has raised enough money for mudb8 to make his mortgage and pay a bill or two. Most of the people who contributed have never met either mudb8 or CB3 and some have only been forum members for a very short time. Still, they were quick to jump in and help out a fellow Jeeper.

This brings me to my topic: Faith in Humanity. We are the Church. We are Christ's hands, feet, eyes, ears, mouth, etc. We are to live our lives as He lived his, to help our fellow man and generally try to make the world a better place in which to live. You never know who may be watching when you execute a random act of kindness in a public place. You never know who may be swayed by that act and how it may affect the rest of their day or the rest of their life. Newcomers to the Jeep forum have seen the outpouring of care for someone who many of the caring have never met. Through this experience many of the newcomers will want more of that community. They may be the ones who someday need a helping hand (even if it's just a bit of advice) and the community will be there for them. As Christians we have an obligation to the newcomers in our forum of life. We have an obligation to display random acts of kindness, patience and understanding. We have an obligation to set aside our judgments and preconceptions of those who have not yet joined our forum. Give your anonymous audience a reason to have faith in the future of humanity through our faith in Christ.

Humans were created to love God and love one another. What's stopping you?

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f7/mudb8-seriously-injured-needs-our-help-please-read-951929/

PS: Please keep mudb8 in your prayers that he will heal quickly and be back on the job full time soon. Bills never stop even though we must do so ourselves sometimes. I also ask that you raise up CB3 for his selfless act even through his own struggles.

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