Romans 12:16
Work happily together. Don’t try to
act big. Don’t try to get into the good graces of important people, but
enjoy the company of ordinary folks. And don’t think you know it all!
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
According to her bio on the
Washington Post’s “Post Everything”*, Darlena Cunha is a former
television producer turned stay-at-home mom to twin girls. She writes
for The Washington Post and TIME. Her post for July 8,
2014, was titled “This is What Happened When I Drove My Mercedes to Pick
Up Food Stamps.” Cunha shares the story of how she and her
then-boyfriend were enjoying successful careers and the “benefits” that
came with them...they had college degrees, followed by good jobs...then
they got engaged and bought a house. And then the stock market crashed.
Their $240,000 house was suddenly worth $150,000.
Cunha
subsequently discovered that she was pregnant...with twins. She writes,
“Two weeks before my children were born, my future husband found
himself staring at a pink slip. The days of unemployment turned into
weeks, months, and, eventually, years.” Darlena Cunha explains that the
babies were born prematurely and struggled to gain weight and thrive,
which meant they spent extended time in the hospital for treatment, and
the medical bills exploded.
She explains, “In just two months,
we’d gone from making a combined $120,000 a year to making just $25,000
and leeching out funds to a mortgage we couldn’t afford. Our savings
dwindled, then disappeared. So I did what I had to do. I signed up for
Medicaid and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants and Children [WIC].” The writer describes the disdainful looks
she got when she went to the WIC office...especially from those who
noticed that she pulled up to the entrance in a Mercedes. They did not
realize that this car was paid for – or that it was cheaper to keep this
vehicle than to buy something less austere to drive.
She also
notes how people looked at her at the stores as she purchased food for
her family – and paid with the EBT (Food Stamp) card. She
concludes...”We didn’t deserve to be poor, any more than we deserved to
be rich. Poverty is a circumstance, not a value judgment.” In a
follow-up article in which she was asked why she divulged something so
personal and painful, Cunha said she did it for her twin
daughters...”Circumstances for everyone are different. They need to give
everyone a chance, and they need to help anyone they can be open-minded
about any kind of circumstance.”
I use this example, because it
is one to which most of us can relate. I’ve talked about this
before...we’ve been in the check-out line behind a mother who is
purchasing food via the WIC program...or maybe YOU have been her! We’ve
seen people pay with EBT cards – and passed judgment on them for doing
so...or perhaps YOU have felt those icy stares. We’ve felt smug that WE
didn’t need such assistance...and we have judged others for the car
they drive, how they dress, and where they live. And we do this in both
directions. Some of us are equally smug to “haves” and “have-nots”
alike. Some of us are so busy trying to get ahead that we don’t really
care who we have to step over to get there. Others are so busy wishing
that “those people” didn’t frequent the places we do...much less attend
“our” church...that we can hardly focus on anything else. Still others
are wishing that they could be the “rich, pretty people” with “perfect
lives”...and this colors how they think and act about pretty much
everything.
This is a very important scripture passage. As
Darlena Cunha so beautifully illustrates, many of us are just one
“crisis” away from being in dire circumstances. An accident or major
medical issue could wipe out our life’s savings. Job loss or other
economic downturns could – and have – wrecked budgets all over the map.
Poor decisions that lead to a physical and emotional
spiral...alcoholism, drug abuse, or some other form of addiction or
lapse in judgment could result in destruction of all kinds. Not every
homeless street person grew up that way. Not all orphans end up
destitute or living in poverty. And not all of those who were born with
privileges will carry them into adulthood. Cunha is right...it often
comes down to a matter of circumstances.
The bigger point is that
none of this should matter. We should not be seeking excuses or
justifications for grace, mercy, forgiveness, tolerance, and patience
for others. We should be doing these things solely out of commitment to
Jesus Christ...honoring our roles as His disciples. Paul didn’t
outline these rules for living in his message to the Romans because he
thought they sounded good. He spoke with the authority of God as he
detailed how they were to treat others...and the message holds for us
today.
Whoever you think you are...whatever entitlements you
think you have...understand that these are YOUR connotations...not those
of Jesus. When He looks at us, He doesn’t see class, color, academia,
personal possessions, or spiritual superiority, to name a few. Jesus
sees God’s children...each precious and filled with the potential to
love others in His name. And He wants us to see each other this way, as
well.
Stop and take stock of how you view yourself...and how you
have been comparing yourself to others. Read this passage over and
again until you fully grasp that this is not the calling of true
Disciples of Christ. Vow to live humbly - to share God’s grace, mercy,
kindness and acceptance with ALL others. And the next time you see
someone wielding a WIC card and driving a Mercedes, remember Darlena
Cunha’s story... and check your attitude at the door.
©2014 Debbie Robus
*http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/07/08/this-is-what-happened-when-i-drove-my-mercedes-to-pick-up-food-stamps/
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