Realize the HOPE

I posted this in 2022. It is even more relevant now. Please give it a read and your consideration.  Allow your better self to prevail.

We are into the second day of 2022. Tell me, what has changed since December 31, 2021. I know some of you will say nothing and in some ways you are correct but there is an element that January 2022 has that December 2021 lost. There was an expectation leading up to midnight January 1, 2022. There were comments made among people everywhere that expressed “better is coming”. It sounded like, “I will be glad when this year is over.” “I can’t wait until January 1.” “I can’t wait until midnight.” There was an expectation. There was hope. Yes, HOPE.

We all HOPE things will be better. However, it just won’t happen. We have to make things better. We have to do what is best for humanity not an institution, not a political party, not a corporation, not a government entity. We have to do what is right and best for mankind. If we once again realize that the things I do to make your life better will actually make my life better, maybe, just maybe we will make things better. For you Christians reading this I would like to remind you that Yeshua (Jesus) instructed us to love our neighbor as ourselves. He used the story of the Good Samaritan to show that everyone is our neighbor and being a good neighbor requires a willingness to do more than take care of ourselves or people ethnically like us or people of the same faith. If you missed it or don’t know the story it is the despised Samaritan who was the compassionate one, the good neighbor. The political and religious leader stepped over the person in need. Which are you?

The Christian behavior in this country,especially in the last few years, is so far from Yeshua’s teachings and examples that a new name should be applied to it. There is no Christ-likeness. Where is the love for those with whom you disagree? Where is the love for those who may not believe as you do?Where is the love for those whose lifestyle does not conform to what you believe is God’s law? Let’s be honest. Our present Christian behavior doesn’t either. We need to get back to the Judaic basics of our beliefs. If nothing else we Christians need to get back to the 10 Commandments. That was what Yeshua taught. and lived. That’s what Paul taught the non-Jewish believers without requiring them to convert to Orthodx Judaism and lived before them. We need to obey them instead of requiring other people that never said they were believers in the first place to obey them. I am sure the other faith belief systems have a comparable tenet. So treat people right even if you disagree with them. or they are not like you. We were not commissioned to be judges but examples.

Only then can we realize the HOPE. Only then will 2022 be better than 2021. I remember when I was a child the admonishment to “do unto others what you would have them do unto you” was a powerful guiding force for decision-making. I’d ask myself before I said something or did something, would you want that done to you? If the answer was No then I likely didn’t do it. Now I did have moments of anger where I ignored myself but typically, I listened. We should start asking ourselves would we want to be treated the way we are treating others. Change our society by caring for each other. Realize the HOPE.

It is now 2025. Unfortunately,  things have not changed much. In fact, in “christiandom” it has gotten worse. Yeshua is being  disgraced. There is very little love being shown to people. It is taking a great deal more effort to have HOPE.

Unloved

She stood on the street corner in her skimpy clothes, waiting. Waiting for that person to give her a moments attention. Waiting. Ah, yes. We knew who and what she was. Why did she choose this lifestyle? Why doesn’t she get a good job? Why is she selling herself? Girl, put on some clothes and get off the block.

He hangs around bars and gyms, waiting. Waiting for that person to notice him or accept his advances. Thoughts of “Am I buff enough?”, “Am I soft enough?”, “Am  I enough?” running through his head. The viewing public only sees a sleazy, annoying, lying creep. “Move on” expressed in their looks of contempt.

We make these judgments based on what we see. But, could we be wrong? I know there are those of “low, moral character.” But, sometimes, the reasons are not so clear.

Could these choices or behaviors be outward expressions of  the inner emotions of feeling unloved?

We have all done some pretty dumb things when we believed no one loved us. Some of us end up in situations because seeking that love made us vulnerable to those who took advantage of our need.  I know there are many reasons people turn to prostitution, drug addiction, etc. I believe the root of them all is feeling or being unloved.

Looking through the eyes of Y’shua, my thoughts should be of giving a kind word not contempt. Sometimes, a listening ear is all that is needed. If I choose a smile rather than a frown or look of condemnation, just maybe that person would feel a moment of value, a moment of love.

Remember when you felt Unloved.