Q-BLOG #21 Choices

It amazes me how often times things come together in the world and present themselves to us. This past week I have received several messages about making choices. Our ability to make a conscious choice everyday to be happy or not be happy. To put aside pain and be productive or to choose love over fear.

There is a biblical passage that talks about the perpetuation of the sins of our forefathers and how from generation to generation these are passed on. I am realizing that the reason these are passed on is that many of us allow them to be. We do not make conscious choices to choose something different. The minds and attitudes of a culture are also passed on from generation to generation. The possibility for change, of a culture or of a person, must come from within. No external source can make that change for any of us. I am not proposing that this is an easy thing to identify or to accomplish. Yet, I think about people I have spoken with and how they enter relationships that are very similar to their parents, who have relationships like their parents and so on. These of course are not always bad or negative things, unless they are abusive relationships. Change must still come from within.

I see this even in the work place. We tend to surround ourselves with people that are most like us. So if we are in a company whose leaders are geared towards a certain management style, you will find that this management style is perpetuated unless there is a conscious decision to make different choices, mentor people that are not like us. These are difficult choices; uncomfortable choices because it is something that we are unfamiliar with. Often times, it is easier to stay with what we have than to take the effort to "learn" something new or different.

This thought of making choices reminds me of the parable of the fish and loaves. For those unfamiliar with this parable, Jesus is preaching out in a field far from any town. Many people have travelled far to come hear his words. It is getting late and people are getting hungry. There appears to be nothing to eat. A young boy approaches Jesus and offers him all he has, two fish and a loaf of bread. Jesus blesses this and in the end, there is enough food to feed thousands and there are many left overs gathered. Many scholars believe that the true miracle is the choice that child made to share. People in that time would not travel long distances without food. The choice that this little boy made allowed others to open their hearts to share what they had brought to this table, and it fed thousands. Imagine that. A child, innocent, not knowing the idea of not sharing, opens up his heart not realizing that this would not feed the entire crowd, but still willing to share all that he had. A miracle indeed.

I think about this child and his willingness to share in light of the current disaster in the southern US. I think about my thought process of wanting to contribute and thinking of bills that I have pending, or my own family's needs. Slowly my initial reaction to help, to send money, is coming into questions with so many other concerns and the amount has slowly dwindled. Then I think of this child, not thinking about the hoards of people that there were and how impossible it would be to feed them with his two fish and loaves. But it did not matter to him. He gave anyway. How selfish am I? More selfish than I wish to admit. But I have this little boy to remind me of a miracle of the heart and to help me make the decision to make a different choice.

I wonder how many miracles will happen today? How many children, young and old, will give what they have and forget about their own hunger, their own concerns and want only to see if they can help...even if it is just one individual. Someone making a conscious choice to share.

Find that child within yourself and help create a miracle today.

Remember, we can make a conscious choice to be happy or not to be happy; to share or not to share.

Choose love over fear. Be a child in your heart once again.

Blessings and Love,

Robert