This post is a little more of a rant, so I apologize if it’s not what you want to hear!
Today some friends and I were discussing some issues we’ve noticed lately with people. Recently different events have occurred in the lives of some friends of ours which got us talking about how much life has changed.
I’m not old, I’m 30. But I feel like in today’s culture, I’m miles away from the next generation.
What happened to people having common courtesy? What happened to being appreciative for the things you have and things that people do for you? What happened to surrounding someone with love when something tragic happens?
I was taught that you speak to someone when they enter a room or if they come up to a group of people where you are standing/congregating. Old or young, you show courtesy and speak!!
I was taught that when someone gives you something, you say thank you at that time and then write a thank you note after that. That also goes for when someone does something for you or just send one to someone just because you wanted to bless them, period!
If you are getting married, you aren’t owed parties just because you are getting married. People throw them for you because they want to and love you. Don’t EXPECT them and don’t be upset if you don’t think you had as many thrown for you as you feel you “deserve.” Same goes for baby showers, graduations, birthdays…. You are not ENTITLED to anything.
The other thing, this is the major one, if someone has a baby, take them a meal. If someone has a major surgery take them a meal. If someone has a death in the family, loved one in the hospital whatever it is, take them a meal. If not that, visit them, call them (YES, CALL….not TEXT), check on them. Show people you care! Your life is not so busy that you can’t take a moment to make sure someone is ok. New moms are overwhelmed, people who lose loved ones are hurting, people with a family member in the hospital are completely off schedule.
If there is a visitation for a death, GO. Does anyone really like to go to those?? No, but it’s called honor and respect. You do them because you honor the person who died or who lost a loved one. You do it because You care. You do it because it’s called being a decent human being.
I’m so tired of seeing such a selfishness in people to where if it doesn’t benefit them, they don’t show up. If it doesn’t benefit them, they don’t participate.
The thing it boiled down to in the conversation today is that people feel they are entitled. I guess because you breathed today, you deserve a cookie. No, you don’t. God gave you that breath to use and bless others. Not yourself.
Life is about serving the Lord and serving people. Guess what?? When you do that, you get blessed in the process. And no, I don’t mean you get something, I mean you get that warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart because you understand what scripture says when it says. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” How about, “It is more blessed to give than receive.” Give and it will be given back to you. Good measure, pressed down , shaken together and over flowing!!
Life is about so much more that what you see. What you see is temporary, what you don’t see is eternal. Be eternally minded. You may lose a Saturday because you sat with someone in a hospital or you went to a funeral for someone you didn’t even know, but you knew their loved one they left behind, or you were in the kitchen making a meal for someone in need. I guarantee you, that you won’t remember what you gave up, but you’ll definitely remember what you gave – Yourself.
I am sorry to be so harsh, but it’s the truth and the truth doesn’t always sit well with folks, but if it makes you stop and think or change, then I guess it was worth saying.
Write that down,
Laura
Laura Jernigan 