Friday, January 15, 2010

A Different Take on "Why Me?"

I'm not sure if this is something I picked up from watching television or reading; but do you know that moment when someone is going through a difficult or painful situation, and they ask themselves, "why me?"?

"Why me?". It's so easy to fall into this thought when things don't happen exactly the way we wished. Even if we don't think these exact words, we often fall into the "why did that have to happen?" mentality. It doesn't even have to be a terribly catastrophic event: running late to work and finding yourself stuck in traffic because of a wreck: "Dangit! Perfect timing!". Going to the grocery store and meeting all checkout lanes filled with people whose carts are about to erupt: "Man! Now I have to wait forever!". Having to work late because the consultant didn't pay good enough attention to what they were supposed to do: "Great! Now I can't go home for a while." It's all some version of the same essential, "Why me?".

Lately I have found myself asking this question repeatedly. Tonight I spent some time watching videos of the destruction that a powerful earthquake left in Haiti; I watched videos and read articles describing the piles of human bodies lining up the Port Au Prince streets... as I cuddled with a warm soft blanket, comfortably. I look around me, and I see a beautiful home that's keeping me from getting wet and cold from the rain. I open the refrigerator, and it's full of food. We both have more than enough clothes for any type of weather, and if--God forbid--we were to be harmed or hurt, we have readily available medical services at local hospitals.

"Why me?". Why has God blessed me with so, so many blessings? I could've been one of those people in Haiti. I could've been a homeless orphan halfway around the world. I could've been a drug addict. A victim of physical violence. A war refugee, a victim of religious persecution. I'm no better than anyone else. God happened to place me here. Why me?

Luke 12:48: "...from everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more."

This is the best reason I have come up with, so far.

I feel very humbled tonight. Lord, please listen to your faithful. Keep the tens of thousands of people who died in Haiti in Your Glory.

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