Yesterday afternoon I was sitting by myself in a McDonald’s in Times Square, New York City when I was approached by a man in a NYC fireman’s uniform. He said, “Will you watch my bag for me while I get my food. It’s heavy.” Fire alarms went off in my head as I thought, “He wants to leave a large heavy bag with me in a crowded eating place in the middle of New York City!!” “Sure,” I said as I very carefully watched to make sure he got in line and ordered and then waited to get his burger and fries. If he left the building I was ready to dial 911 and yell for everyone to RUN. He came back.
As I walked outside into wall to wall people I thought how sad that we cannot freely help others without being careful. But, it really has always been this way. This isn’t new. When we study history we see a continual stream of horror. The world isn’t any worse than it has ever been. History is a stream of genocides, wars, crimes and betrayals. Often people will ask, “What is the world coming too?” The answer is “It’s not coming to. It is what it is and has been.”
What it has been is not all bad. There has always been a stream of good, generous, unselfish, helpful people. They are in every time, every place, every culture and every race. Let’s live as joyously as we can and not dwell on the negative. After all, we are children of the most High. He wants us to live the abundant life. Heaven starts now. See John 10:10.
Written by Roger Bothwell on Sept. 1, 2016
PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
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