Racism is so American that when we protest racism, the average American assumes weâre protesting America[.]
@TrillestAC on Twitter
Aqua Utopiaď˝ćľˇăŽĺşă§č¨ćśăç´Ąă
Not today Justin
Three Goblin Art
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Today's Document
$LAYYYTER

Andulka

tannertan36
sheepfilms

Origami Around
ojovivo

izzy's playlists!
Sweet Seals For You, Always
Peter Solarz
i don't do bad sauce passes
AnasAbdin
DEAR READER

JBB: An Artblog!

blake kathryn
seen from Malaysia

seen from Japan
seen from Serbia
seen from Serbia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia

seen from Netherlands

seen from Netherlands
seen from T1
seen from Mexico

seen from United States
seen from India

seen from Japan
seen from United States

seen from United Kingdom
seen from Bulgaria

seen from United States
seen from India
seen from Malaysia
@unapproachablelight
Racism is so American that when we protest racism, the average American assumes weâre protesting America[.]
@TrillestAC on Twitter

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Track #10
Since the album âFriends and Foesâ was released this past Christmas, Iâve been fielding a lot of private messages with questions regarding my sexual orientation due to a song called âLay Your Burdens Down.â
The simple answer to those questions is: Yes, I am gay.
I know this may catch some of you off guard or confirm some long held suspicions - or maybe you simply donât care. Either way, it is something I havenât felt the need or desire to share publicly until now. This is perhaps the most terrifying thing I have ever done in my adult life and it came down to a decision between my career and my integrity. I realize by sharing this I may have just destroyed everything I have built this past decade. Seeing as today is my birthday, itâs fitting that this marks the end of a journey and the beginning of new one.
When we released our first album in 2007, we were immediately classified as a Contemporary Christian band because I happened to write songs about my faith. Even Wikipedia labeled us as such. While I never considered us as exclusively part of the CCM genre, I realized that we were now in a position to have a profound impact on peoplesâ faiths. For this reason, I kept my orientation to myself for the past 10 years of my music career. I did not want to be publicly identified by something thatâs only a part of what makes me who I am.
The other reason I kept it to myself was for the sake of the other people playing in my band. Every member was aware of who I was and they were all supportive, even though most of them held traditional theological stances. Because of this, it felt unfair to subject them to the inevitable questions and scrutiny that would accompany a public declaration of my orientation. It wasnât their battle to fight and I did not want to jeopardize their ability to make a living as musicians. That is why when Andrew planned to leave this past year, it felt like the right time to share it.
One of my early memories of Sunday school was a teacher telling my junior high class that homosexuals were possessed by the devil. That statement would shape the way I related to God for the next decade of my life. I wrote âLay Your Burdens Downâ during the pinnacle of that struggle when I was convinced that God hated gay people - even celibate ones or ones trying to âcureâ themselves. I saw it as a horrible curse â a predetermined condemnation for those destined for Godâs wrath. And there was plenty of rhetoric coming from certain parts of the church to bolster this idea. I felt incredibly alone even though I had come out to most of my close friends and family. At the time I could only write the first two verses and choruses and then I shelved the song for 2 years. I didnât know how to end the song because I had no answer for the question I was asking: âDoes God love me?â
It was the question I had been asking myself for most of my life. The one question I agonized over late at night when I prayed to what often seemed like a silent and absent God. And then one day the words came to me for the 3rd verse:
They say Iâm ruined but Iâm only human They say it could be Satan, but God, Iâm your creation What is and isnât sin, Iâll let it go and let you in All this time I was praying, all this time you were saying: âCome lay your burdens down on me.â
It hit me like a ton of bricks and I burst into tears as I sang it. The revelation fundamentally changed my perspective not only on homosexuality but on Christianity as a whole. I had spent the greater part of my life trying to appease the wrath of a God who wasnât even angry at me.
I used to be the king of religious behavior modification. I thought if I was holy enough, pure enough, chaste enough, God would tolerate me in spite of my âstruggle.â But my legalism quickly spread like a disease to others in my life. I would feel actual rage when I saw other Christians behaving in ways that I thought were not in step with holy standards. I was jealous of their freedom so I tried to oppress them with my own enslavement and self-loathing.
But over time I began to realize that the heart of Christianity was not primarily about behavioral change. Itâs firstly about spiritual change. It is about making a broken soul whole again and restoring its connection with the divine. Something that religious law could never do. The power of the gospel isnât about scaring people out of hell but healing and restoring people from within. The Christianâs piety is not a result of strict adherence to rules, but the inevitable fruit of a soul that knows it is loved and forgiven by God.
I donât know all the answers and I am by no means the spokesperson for all gay Christians. I didnât come out to make a political statement or to criticize the church. I came out because I hear stories every month about people like me who want to die because they think God hates them. And when I think about how awful it felt as a 12 year old crying late at night while my family was asleep, I want to use whatever limited influence I have to give someone like me a little bit of hope. I am still learning in my own journey, and all I can be certain of is that Godâs love must be foundational in that pursuit. If we withhold Godâs love from those who we deem unworthy of it, then the gospel has no power and it is just impotent religiosity.
Whether homosexuality is sin or not is of little importance to me nowadays. Itâs not that I donât think itâs an important question, itâs just not the most important question. I have learned that it is often our obsession with sin avoidance that prevents us from ever really pursuing God himself. Still, some of you are probably curious where I have landed theologically on this issue.
The truth is, I really donât know. And I hope there is room in the dialogue for that uncertainty. As far as my own personal life is concerned, I have been single and will continue to be single for the forseeable future. Not because I am convinced of homosexualityâs sinfulness but because I am at peace with my solitude. Iâm not looking for a relationship because I no longer buy into the cultural narrative that you have to be married and have kids to fulfill your lifeâs calling⌠or to be happy. That may be an unsatisfactory answer for those of you who like definitive lines, but it is my honest answer. If you are convinced that homosexuality is indeed a sin and think that my stance is too soft, then by all means you are entitled to believe that. But whatever your beliefs may be, not a single one of us has the power to exile someone from the fold of God. And if there is wrongdoing to be reckoned with, I have faith that God is good enough and merciful enough to deal with our mistakes. All any of us can do is live the best lives we can with the information we have at hand.
I have never seen the world more divided than it has been in the past few years. We have stopped listening to one another and we relentlessly declare rhetorical and literal wars on those we disagree with. There was a time in my childhood when my best friend told me he would kill a homosexual if he ever met one. Today, he is the first one to stand in harmâs way to defend me and people like me. That didnât happen from arguing with him or hurling insults at him. It happened because one summer after college I told him my story. I showed him the humananity behind the homosexuality. I told him about the loneliness, the constant feeling of condemnation no matter how hard I tried to be good. I told him how one night I sat on a bed with a knife in my hand contemplating ending my life because I thought God had forgotten me. My story materialized something that he had always seen as an unrelatable enigma. It didnât change his mind. It changed his heart.
For those of you out there who feel like there are parts of you that are too terrible or shameful for God, those of you who have cried yourself to sleep wishing you had been born a different person, I have been in those same dark places and I will shine a light for you as you find your way. Unload that heavy weight youâve been carrying. It doesnât matter if you are gay, straight or somewhere inbetween; your story and journey matter regardless of how different or abnormal it appears. Anyone who tells you God hates you has never really known him.
The devilâs greatest deception is convincing us that only another person can determine when we are worthy of love. But no mortal man or institution is the gatekeeper to the heart of God. All that he asks of us is this: âCome to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.â
Love one another and be free,
Tim
Peacemaker...
Iâm tired. This day has been so tiring for me, even more so than the entire rest of the election. Itâs ironically not for the reason people think, and I apologize if this post is kinda unorganized. Thereâs just so much on my mind. Whatâs worn me down and discouraged me so much today is not actually the fact that Trump won the presidency, itâs the way most (at least on my FB feed) Clinton supporters have reacted to the results.
I get it, I know, Trump is a bad person. But you know, at least his victory speech was decently respectable. And he called us to unite together and invited those that didnât vote for him to help him make America better for all people. And as Clinton said in her concession speech, we owe Trump âan open mind and a chance to leadâ. But what saddens me more is that the mud slinging continues. And instead of taking this chance to understand why something they didnât expect happened, most people have just gone with the flow of the liberal media (which lured people in the first place into believing Trump had no chance) and written off half of the American voters (60 million) as racist bigots. But in doing so, they themselves have become that which they condemn others for. People have written off white rural America (most of the Trump supporters as well as half of the country falls under this category btw) as a bunch of racists and bigots. But they know nothing of those people. They know nothing of their plight. Instead of judging them and ignoring their opinions, if people had taken the time to actually listen to their stories and the very real struggles (http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-reasons-trumps-rise-that-no-one-talks-about/) theyâre going through, if Hillary had done this, maybe the election results would be different. But by condemning and marginalizing this population and offering no real avenues of dialogue or aid, other than to ridicule or judge them, Clinton supporters have become racists and bigots themselves. They continue to sling mud at these people, even after their candidate lost the election, without stopping for a second to understand the people theyâre targeting. And this is what happens when you marginalize a people who are hurting and whoâs lives are being threatened, and receive no empathy, but are instead blamed as the problem (wow, doesnât this rhetoric sound familiar?). They vote for the guy whoâs actually willing to listen to them and says heâll fight for them, even if heâs a sociopath, because what choice do they have. Donât let the liberal media deceive you again, like they did with saying Hillary had the election in the bag. Yes, there are racists and bigots and inequality in this country. These are issues we need to work on. But thatâs not what this election was about, it ultimately came down a hurting people who were rejected by one candidate and her camp, and had no choice but to vote for the crazy guy willing to listen to them and promised them change (wait, wasnât that someoneâs platform back in 2008!?). And moving forward, even with regard to overcoming racism and bigotry, YOU CANâT FIGHT HATE WITH HATE, IT ONLY CREATES MORE HATE!!!! And you become a racist and bigot when you do that. As I close, what hurts the most about this, is there are my Christian brothers and sisters who are partaking in this. Not only slinging mud at half the populace that theyâve written off, but also at their own Christian brothers and sisters. Since when did allegiance to a political candidate outweigh being a family in Christ? It breaks my heart. Thankfully, most of my brothers and sisters are doing what weâre supposed to be doing. Being peacemakers. Whether thatâs calling for both sides to be understanding of one another. Or offering space and support for those who are hurting. Or most importantly, pointing people to the ultimate hope we have in God. Sigh,Iâm tired, and I donât know how much more my heart can take of seeing the church allow itself to be torn apart by these earthly things. Iâm sorry if I got a little too sarcastic or heated during this post. But itâs so important. As a nation, we must learn to reach for understanding before hate, and learn that we arenât always going to agree, but we can find common ground and we need respect each otherâs differences despite our disagreements. Something that President Obama reminded us of last night (Iâve grown to respect this guy a lot). As a church, we need to reach for God and our shared identity in Christ and the Gospel before reaching for being popular with the current trends. Being a peacemaker means sometimes both sides will hate you, but so be it. This is not our home, and our goal is greater than a mere presidential election, itâs the eternal salvation of peopleâs souls! Itâs ok to be mad, itâs ok to mourn, itâs ok to need to let it out. But donât do it at the expense of others. Please stop slinging mudâŚbe a peacemakerâŚ
(Asian) Christian Fellowship...
Itâs been a while since I last wrote anything. Thereâs been a lot of things on my mind, and I want to be more disciplined about writing them out. The first one I was reminded of today as my church celebrated our 75th anniversary. And thatâs the topic of whether churches should have words like âchineseâ or âasianâ or other ethnic monikers that seem to limit the demographic. This topic first came up in college when I was tabling for ACF, and we would often be asked about if we were exclusive to Asians. This prompted the sentiment from some that we should just change our name to âChristian Fellowshipâ. And at times, I have felt that sentiment to be valid. However, as Iâve grown older, seen other Chinese churches, and especially reflected on my own life experience, Iâve realized that though that sentiment isnât bad in intention, it may be a little misguided. The sentiment of getting rid of âethnicâ churches is something I still hear in my current church. Usually itâs from younger members who were born, raised, and lived their whole life in America. Living in America for the last decade, I see why that is, itâs the whole idea of âthe melting potâ in American culture. There are good parts and bad parts of this idea (which Iâll get to eventually in another post). But the simple fact is not everyone subscribes or can relate to this melting pot culture. In 1 Cor 9, Paul talks about becoming all things to all people in order to save some. My church Chinese Christian Church and Center (CCCnC) was planted by 4 separate caucasian churches of different denominations who felt a burden to minister to the Chinese immigrants in Chinatown. And though they planted the church, they did not seek to conform it to their culture or traditions, but following Paulâs recommendation, the early workers created a church that understood the cultural context of the people it was called to minister to. And itâs why our church, especially the mandarin and cantonese congregations have flourished in recent years. This isnât a new concept either. Hudson Taylor, my spiritual ancestor, understood this very clearly. When he established China Inland missions, he was convinced that for them to minister effectively, it was critical for them to understand, affirm, and become part of the culture they were ministering too. At this point, some may object though that Paul says we need to be all things to ALL PEOPLE. Shouldnât we try to reach everyone then, and not limit ourselves to just one demographic? But we have to remember that even Paul was limited in his ministries. From the outset, Paul wanted to minister to his Jewish brothers and sisters, since he was a Jew. But he quickly found out that it was simply not his calling, and that God was calling him to minister to the gentiles. And thatâs who he poured his efforts into for the rest of his life. Does this mean that Paul abandoned the Jews and ignored them? No, Iâm sure he opportunistically ministered to any Jews who he had an opportunity with, but overall he focused on the gentiles and those churches to which he was called. And instead, other apostles like Matthew or Peter ministered to the Jews. So bringing this back to our modern context, Chinese churches like mine grew out of a calling to minister to the growing population of Chinese immigrants in America. To be effective in ministering to them, we have to create an environment that affirms their culture and speaks in a way that they can understand. That means being made up largely of people who are either from that culture or understand that culture well, which means a lot of the church will beâŚwellâŚChinese. As children of immigrants, or ABCâs, we should also not be so quick to adopt American culture by abandoning our roots, even if we didnât grow up in the country our parentâs come from. And maybe Iâm a little more biased on this topic since I grew up partly in China and still find myself rooting for China over USA during the Olympics (only when theyâre going head to head). Being part of a church isnât about consumerism, but about serving and sacrificing. It is absolutely important that we attend a church that meets our spiritual needs, but it is equally important that we be believers who meet the spiritual needs of our church. And often the contexts that we come from are the places where God first began training us and equipping us for ministry, just like how God trained David as a shepherd before making him a King. If you find yourself not drawn to the demographic of a particular church or even your current church, itâs not wrong to challenge them to expand their demographic (maybe they will!), but it should not be in a way that calls for them to abandon or weaken their relation with a demographic that God has already called them to/they have faithfully ministered to in the past. And if you really feel called to minister to another demographic and the church doesnât have that same calling, maybe it means that this church isnât where Godâs calling you. And thatâs ok. Someone leaving for those reasonâs does not have to reflect negatively on either the individual or that church. People are just called to different places, it happens all the time. But on the flip side, if you donât feel called to leave, but to stay in that church, then stay, be committed. Open yourself up to the church, be all people to those people in that church and those who come through that church, donât waste that time pining for another situation. Maybe God is challenging you, just like He did to Paul, to minister to another demographic that you didnât originally think you would be.
Back in September of 2015, a certain #bots approached this bibliophile (#books), asking to begin a journey together. His request was met with petitions of patience, a time for melding of the head and heart to unite, a response of an eventual yes.
Four blissful seasons ushered times of learning about one another, of joining various social circles, of serving each other as well as alongside the other. But perhaps most fundamentally, it was a season of unpacking the word commitment. Its etymological roots is a bridge of two Latin words - com (together) + mittere (to send). From that lens, it upholds a fundamental truth in marriage in a commitment not only to oneâs spouse, but also to a larger mission.
As I once alluded, singleness was a joyous season of understanding myself and the calling God had placed me specific to my geography, vocation, and community. And for a number of years, it involved a nomadic life, pitching tents in one city after another, life packed in boxes and suitcases, and one of full potential because of the unrestricted freedom in being single.
But a time eventually came with a calling not to go, but rather to stay - the calling of placing down roots, of continuity and longevity. Though perhaps less glamorous or remarkable, this was still a mission, a harvest at hand. I began to understand true change in philanthropy isnât about the sum amount of dollars, the glitz of an organization - but the tenacity and perseverance of staying constant, continual, changing little by little.Â
For #bots, his harvest was in academics, where rational and logical sense was a stumbling block to the brightest of minds from the truth of the gospel. Never had I seen a man utilize his education and profession with such intention in preaching, evangelizing, and sharing the gospel as true good news. Coupled with his extroversion in welcoming newcomers, volunteering for any need by the church, His love for God and humanity was genuine and undeniable.
I repeatedly told God and others the only way Iâd come out of my singleness was if I could believe and envision a life together that would accomplish more for Godâs kingdom than either of us alone. It meant that we had to both be acutely aware of our individual mission, talents, and shortcomings. It meant that we both had to be eternally minded and focused, prioritizing God and His Kingdom above all else.Â
Perhaps that was part of the reason #booksnbots progressed at such an expedient pace with confidence - that though there may still be battles ahead and uncertainties, we were grounded with a common vision, a common mission greater than ourselves. A longer dating period would be a trap rather than an ally, allowing greater temptation to cross boundaries, to leave an exit door ajar, to live separate rather than unified lives.Â
It was in Godâs beautiful providence that He brought me a man who was equally unorthodox in consciously opposing the rules and conventions set by the wedding industry. It was also in Godâs providence that a wrench was thrown in our original elopement plan of going to a courthouse wedding, causing us to reconsider that there is significance in how we entered into this rite of passage of marriage.
We started our wedding planning with a question:
What is the message we want to deliver through our wedding?Â
Our answer was simply this - an appointment and proclamation of being sent out together into a harvest (Luke 10:1-4). Every action and tradition we included and excluded needed to stay consistent with that answer. From choosing our location in #botsâ house, to entering down the stairs together, to our declaration of intent and our exchanging of vows, to having our community speak words of blessings and prayers over us.
We sent out invitations notifying our friends and family with a 3-day notice of our makeshift wedding. In the 3 days, we saw our church community come through in such incredible fashion - food, flowers, and decorations were organized without our knowledge; people came an hour before the event started to set up and stayed afterwards to tear down and move my boxes/bed into our new home; friends remotely logged online to watch our livestream video as virtual witnesses. It was as perfect of a wedding as I could have imagined with a plethora of love and gratitude that will forever render me speechless.
This, we believed, was the essence of our marriage, stripping away the frills, the pomps and circumstances to uphold and uplift the intention of marriage - of giving acknowledgment and glory to our good God, of our community coming and serving together, of remembering this day that I chose to enter into this marital covenant and commitment to this man.
Hold onto this day Keep inside your heart such faith Weâll walk along the path God made.
Matthew Mole - The Wedding Song

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
Dear #bots,
I once asked what the most encouraging thing someone could say to you and you told me this:
Thanks for listening to me & sticking with me. My life wouldnât be the same without you.
So #bots, thank you. Thank you for listening to me & sticking with me. Truly my life wouldnât be the same without you.
I echo these words as declaration of my first vow to you â to be your lover and companion, your greatest earthly encourager. I promise to gift you with words of kindness and gratitude, words to affirm and not afflict, to provide you courage in your commitment to God and His people.
This leads to my second vow, returning to the origins of the word âcommitmentâ in being sent out together. I vow to commit myself as your life partner, to go with you into this mission and adventure awaiting before us. I promise to be your accomplice and not your adversary, to persevere and fight alongside you always.
But when conflicts arise, and they will, I promise to seek reconciliation and not retaliation, to blanket forgiveness on our flaws. I promise to believe the best of you, and even when you fail, to believe in the redeeming work of Christ still being done.
#bots, it will be my joy to serve you, to submit to you, and to faithfully love you all the days of my life.
#books, in these last four seasons, you have been my joy and my delight. You are beautiful, like the autumn colors on the mountainside, your words comfort me like a cup of hot coffee on a snowy winter day. your goodness and justice -- they give life like the spring. And even this summer heat is no match for your fiery passion.
I love you, and I will always love you, #books. Even though I have failed you many times, you always point me back to Christ. I will love you like Christ loved the church. I will love you even if I feel unloved myself. #books, I will give myself to you and for you; I will serve you and care for you, as long as I live.Â
Prophets
The prophets in the Old Testament not only spoke the word of God, but also experienced the compassion, anguish, frustration, grief, and pity of the Father. This is why they were constantly commanded to do things like bury their underwear by a river (Jeremiah) or marry a prostitute (Hosea) or become mute (Ezekiel), so that the prophets would experience firsthand emotions that God felt toward Judah or Israel. Similarly, I think that it is perfectly valid to feel the compassion or indignation or sorrow of God and then act on it accordingly. Such action might be mourning or rebuking or retreating or maybe something altogether crazy. God gave strong emotions to some of us, and those emotions are necessary for the building up of the body of Christ and proclaiming the gospel; don't discount them, but instead test them and put them to good use!
I thought: How I long to make you My sons and give you a desirable land, the most beautiful inheritance of all the nations. I thought: You will call Me, my Father, and never turn away from Me. However, as a woman may betray her lover, so you have betrayed Me, house of Israel. This is the Lordâs declaration.
Jeremiah 3:19-20
A large number of the peopleâmany from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulunâwere ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, âMay the good Lord provide atonement on behalf of  whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God, Yahweh, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.â  So the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
2 Chronicles 30:18-20 (HCSB)
I think I heard about this via @clee but canât remember. Anyway, itâs an excellent talk on race and justice reform and I highly recommend everybody to listen to it!

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
We believe that humanity was created in the image of God but fell from its original sinless state through willful disobedience and Satanâs deception, resulting in eternal condemnation and separation from God. In and of themselves and apart from the grace of God human beings can neither think, will, nor do anything good, including believe. But the prevenient grace of God prepares and enables sinners to receive the free gift of salvation offered in Christ and his gospel. Only through the grace of God can sinners believe and so be regenerated by the Holy Spirit unto salvation and spiritual life. It is also the grace of God that enables believers to continue in faith as well as good in thought, will, and deed, so that all good deeds or movements that can be conceived must be ascribed to the grace of God.
Society of Evangelical Arminians: Statement of FaithÂ
I feel like Reformed Calvinism is all the rage today. But maybe itâs worth stepping away from the hype every now and then, and away from labels or from choosing sides every now and again.
Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 7, 8
boys
One of the saddest things I find in the body of Christ is when the sons of God do not lead the daughters of God. I find this to be true of romantic relationships or just friendships in or out of the church. Thereâs a plethora of males who are biologically âmenâ but just do not have a grasp of what it is to be a man of Christ.Â
Men who donât know how to lead, donât know how to love, donât know how to commit. The common trait is a hiding and withdrawal from community. For those in relationships, they retreat to be alone with the girl. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors nor do they seek out OR heed counsel. They put the majority of their comfort, protection, encouragement and attention into the girl financially, emotionally, physically but not spiritually.Â
In the end, whether or not this is within their control, the women lose out. The man who does not love a woman biblically - portraying the relationship between Christ and his church - lives selfishly.Â
Having girlfriends, wives, sex, kids, money, power, popularity does not equate manhood. There has to be an understanding and facilitating of deeper faith in Christ and not the man himself. We have to live in anchored relation with God before and during our interactions with women so that we help them establish stronger roots with Him.Â
And the redeemed ofâtheâLORD willâreturn and come toâZion withâsinging, crowned with unending joy. Joy andâgladness willâovertakeâthem, and sorrow andâsighing willâflee.
Isaiah 51:11 (HCSB)
Oh hello
Why do we turn our eyes from the beggar?
I have now been in Sydney for two days, and during my stay at a small bed and breakfast, I had the chance to chat with a lovely couple, two grandparents from Melbourne. The guyâs name is Cliff. I never had the chance to ask for his wifeâs name, so Iâll just call her Mary.
Cliff and Mary, like most other Aussies that Iâve met, are very friendly and always willing to strike up conversation. They came to Sydney to visit their daughter, son-in-law, and baby granddaughter, all of whom will soon be moving to Icelandâso it might be their last family get-together for a while.
Naturally, the first thing I aimed for after arriving 10 o'clock in the morning was a cup of coffee (the kitchen had stocked a bunch of Caffitaly espresso capsules, which are just like Keurig cups). Mary was in the kitchen making a sandwich, and glanced up at me.
A friendly âGood morning!â was followed by some advice about how to use the Caffitaly machine.
âYouâve got to press this button quite a few times,â offered Mary. âIâve been here two weeks, and last week it was working just fine. You could press the button once, and out comes a cup of coffee. Now you have to press it ten, twelve times just to get a full cup. Itâs also terribly strong.â
Cliff stepped into the kitchen too. âYouâll really want to put some milk into it, if thatâs your thing. Or just do as I do here, and boil some water, and mix it right in.â
âItâll rot your teeth,â said Mary.
They were so genial that I decided to ask them where the nearest supermarket was located. Mary mentioned a Woolworthâs (the company that bought out Safeway in the USA) nearby, and Cliff brought out a giant mapbook. Turned out to be only 1.6 km away, so I went for it.
This morning, I stepped into the kitchen to make another cup of coffee (which, as youâll find out, can only ever lead to good times). Two Filipino-looking women were cleaning out the kitchen, where there were dishes and plastic containers everywhere. I gave them a âGood morningâ as usual, and tried not to get in their way while making coffee.
âDo you want some Chinese food?â one of the women suddenly asked me.
Apparently, as I found out by talking to them, their family had just thrown a big party last night and some of them ended up staying at the bed and breakfast. Now, as they were preparing to make the 12-hour drive back home, they realized that they wouldnât be able to preserve the food and would have to throw it out.
So I said, âSure, Iâll take it!â
We scooped it out into some bowls that were available in the area. I expressed my gratitude, and the women left to make their long drive. I didnât have any plastic wrap or foil to cover the food, but Mary and Cliff walked in at that moment. I asked them if Helen kept any cling wrap or something like that, andâlo and behold, Mary pulls out her own supply of freezer bags.
âTheyâre only two dollars for a whole pack, and they always come in handy when Iâm traveling,â she said. So we wrapped up my new-found food, talked for another half hour or so about lactose intolerance and sights to see in Darling Harbour; finally, we said our goodbyes and they checked out of the bed and breakfast to begin their own long drive back home (to Melbourne).
Last little bit story: as I was writing this, another elderly couple saw me sitting at the table and asked if I was working. âNo,â I began. âWould you like to sit here?â
Actually, they had wanted to ask if I knew the location of the nearest metro station (and I did). We chatted for a bit, and then they headed to the station, grateful for my assistance.
I am usually not one to talk to complete strangers, despite being very extroverted. A fear of rejection and not wanting to bother others prevents me from randomly opening up conversation with people who are more than one degree of separation from me. But why?
Itâs true that not everyone would enjoy these little conversations. But I also got about three free meals and a heap of useful advice, just by throwing out a âHelloâ or âGood morning!â So why donât I do this sort of thing more?
Part of the reason is that, in New Jersey, I expect others to be cold or in a hurry or unresponsive. I donât even give people a chance to be friendly. Obviously, some people will be cold or in a hurry or unresponsive, but the biggest barrier to communication is my own unwillingness to give others the benefit of the doubt. Or to allow myself to be rejected by them.
So, before anyone has a chance to reject me, I reject him.
Why do we turn our eyes from the beggar? Is it because, before he even bids me for acknowledgement of his humanity, I have already rejected him? Is it because, as evidenced by my own fear of initiating conversation, I donât have the capacity to do what he has no choice but to do? Is it because the very image of him is a reminder that I fail, daily, to extend a warm welcome to my community?

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch ⢠No registration required ⢠HD streaming
One of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow prophet by the word of the Lord, âStrike me!â But the man refused to strike him. He told him, âBecause you did not listen to the voice of the Lord, mark my words: When you leave me, a lion will kill you.â When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him.
1 Kings 20 (HCSB)
Thus says the Lord, 'Because the Syrians have said, "The Lord is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys," therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.
1 Kings 20