I got home from
spending a week in Los Angeles Dallas
[Quick side note: My
brother now lives in Dallas because he is going
to be starting classes in the fall at Dallas Baptist
University
Ok. So back to
before…because I hadn’t had much sleep and was somewhat delirious, I got us
turned around after leaving the airport and I didn’t know how to get home. LOL.
Sad, I know. Anyway, long story short, because we went the long way home, we were able to talk and catch up, which was really
awesome. He got to tell me about the exciting new things that were going on in
his life- about making the move to Dallas, finally being on his own for the
first time and what that feels like, etc. We stopped at a McDonald’s for ice
cream cones and had the best of conversations. I got to vent to him about all
the frustrations I had pent up from the past week, mainly my disappointment in
people. It’s something that he is able to relate to, since he has dealt with
people disappointing him a lot in recent months. It’s hard, because some people
who disappoint us, we really should expect it because we can’t hold them to the
same standard that we hold ourselves. And yet, it’s still seems just as
disappointing when they do something out of character or even just outside of
common decency and moral ethic.
It has had me
thinking in recent days about how far away from moral integrity we as a society
really are. A white lie or a lie by omission is no big deal anymore. You are labeled
as judgmental or harsh if you point it out as a lie, no matter how small.
People sacrifice their morals and integrity and don’t blink twice. The
mentality of “win at all costs” is prevalent, and I have seen it on a whole new
level in recent months. Despite the fact that the people who have recently
disappointed me are not held to the same standard of righteousness, it still
leaves me floored and wondering what the heck is going on. The fact that people
can get away with the things they do, and there is nothing we can do…it’s the
most irritating thing in the world. And for a period of time, it seems as
though the bad guys win. Of course, in the end, I know they won’t. But by the
world’s standards they do, and that is still a frustrating thing to watch and
endure.
My brother pointed
out to me how important it is that I am different in a world that accepts
such a disregard for ethics and morality. Do people really look at me and see
something different? Because if they don’t, then I have some serious re-evaluating
to do. I am called to a higher standard…which includes praying for my enemies.
I can’t tell you how hard it was to pray for my enemies this past week. And
yet, God still asks me to. And so I pray for them. I surrender my life to the
sovereign God of the universe, because He is ultimately in control, and has the
final say in this world (thank goodness!). I commit my life to His ways and
work toward becoming righteous and holy in His sight. Because it’s not until I
do that that people can really see a difference. The light of His Son is the
only thing that sets us apart in such a dark world.
Airport toll to pick
me up at the airport...$2.00
Extra gas because I
got us lost...$10.00
McDonald's Ice Cream
Cones...$1.50
Chatting with my
brother and gleaning from his wisdom...priceless :)