Reading 8

For I was hungry and you gave me food; 

I was thirsty and you gave me drink

Matthew 25: 35

Today I volunteered at a food kitchen for serving dinner. Because of the rain only some 100 people of the usual over 200 came to eat corn, rice, and ribs as main meal (juice, milk, coffee, and packaged cookie). 

Indeed only when I think about those poor people I really am aware of the blessing that I can buy my food (even more than I need!), I can have a nice apartment to live in and am comfy and warm, I have too many clothes and shoes, and a good car to drive.

I observed the guests for dinner, most were very comfortable coming early greeting other friends at table, coming to pick up their plate. But some were rather embarrassed, not making eye contact, looking away and seeming uncomfortable when picking up their plate. I was glad they could come for seconds. It is interesting how satisfying can be to help the other (feed the hungry).

Later I watched a documentary about India (history). Seeing all those poor people and happy people made me think that poverty does not have a direct connection to happiness. One can be poor and happy (just as I was most of my life!).

 Happiness just as unhappiness comes from comparison. It only depends what is the anchor point. Comparing own status to poor or rich can get us happy or envious, without even changing anything! 

But why did Jesus say to feed the poor, give drink to the thirsty, clothes the naked, visit the sick, and go to see the prisoner?  It definitely was to help us understand what we have and appreciate it!

Reading 7

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 

Nor are your ways My ways.

Isaiah 55: 8

This passage is used so many times in case when we really cannot explain something. Why do young people die, get cancer, be sick, and why are unborn or babies die, why do accidents happen, and so many unanswered other questions. We do not know and then we blame it on God. It was His plan. God's ways are unknown and we will never understand why. This is life!

Why do we expect always a cause and effect? Life is not as logical, is not an algorithm. It would really be very boring to be that way. In the end behaviorist theory did not hold for everything. We do not always learn through trial and error, or at least sometimes do not have to try at all. We can think and figure it out without trying it actually. We expect a logical explanation for everything, but sometimes there is no logic in things that happen, and might be the explanation that is we do not like much. Cancer happens because there are bad cells in organism, accident happens because the person is in that place at that moment, death happens because we are not immortal!

As for the way God thinks --- He might be using a different reasoning. Remember the parable of workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20: 1-16) when the landlord pays everyone with the same amount?!  Oh, how upset were those who worked an entire day just to find out that they got paid just as much as the ones coming in the last hour. Those who came last were paid first and were paid just as much as those who came first early in the morning to work.  The landlord paid all from the goodness of his heart because he was sorry for those who did not have the opportunity to work and had to wait and almost lose hope that they will gain anything that day. The landlord/God used a generous frame of mind. 

Don't we do the same when we give to charity, help out, pay forward?!

Is not because someone deserves it or (if we don't write it up for taxes) that we have a benefit from it. Is just because it feels good to be generous, to feel that one has from where to give.

Well, just think about those poor workers waiting to get the job. Think of all the times when you needed something but did not have the means to obtain it. Isn't that more painful than a hard work day?

Is good to have, but is better to generously give!

Sometimes is great to think like God.

Reading 6

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; 

male and female He created them.

Genesis 1: 27

So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; 

then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 

The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, 

and brought her to the man.

Genesis 2:21

I was 10 years of age in the summer when I attended Bible school to get my first communion. I remember the priest telling us the story of Genesis. I also remember being confused about the story and thought that, or the priest does not know how people are born, or the one who wrote the book of Genesis did not. Either way it was not correct.

Today I would only say that the one who did write that book was a sexist. I do not think God being such a selfish one or not paying attention to what s/he did. Since all animals had a male and female, did God plan for the human to self-reproduce? Not likely! Did God create the first human for personal companionship? Only if God felt too lonely, which is not the case if we think God is self-sufficient. So, logically God must have thought that humans need to be female and male. And why did not create first the female? Might be God did!

But, by the time the one writing the book of Genesis, that society could not even imagine that women have any primacy in the human race. Do we have it yet? Not likely. 

So bad. Might be the entire history of humanity would have been different if Eve would be the first created. Hey, not talking about the latest news that Jesus was married to a woman! So what?!

I am sure God is much smarter and open minded that we human in this entire history of ours since the Big Bang. Oh, wait, there was no big bang. 

Whatever was and how it did happen in the end is a matter of faith. 

It would really be so lonely to be alone in this world/and I mean World with all stars and constellations.

And I believe we are not alone!

Reading 5

For in much wisdom is much grief, 

And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 1:18

I kind of agree with this! The more one knows the more aware that more is left to know and a lifetime is just not enough to learn even if we could afford to spend the entire life with learning. Wouldn't that be great?

But we need to toil (aka work!). So, since the time for learning is cut short by the time for working the only option is to accept we are pretty dumb.

And because thinking that one is pretty dumb is not really helping feel good about oneself, then better to just don't even think about and accept that I know something.

In the end is just a matter of do I see the glass half full or half empty.

The interesting comes when I meet some people who by looking at their half filled glass, they boast that their glass is full. That is a pretty high self-esteem (value that one places on personal abilities and worth). However, we know that is good to have a high self-esteem, but not too high; or at least not much higher than the self-efficacy (perception of how successful one's abilities are to perform a certain task). 

Think about the peacock, now that is a bird that has a high self-esteem and pretty much showing it. 

There are among us some "peacock" individuals who show off with their skills or knowledge, or possessions.

Now their glass is overflowing!

Which brings me to the conclusion that much knowledge makes us better evaluate how less we know.

Then still remain the two options: be sad for knowing so less, or accept that you know a little

:-)

Reading 4

What is crooked cannot be made straight, 

And what is lacking cannot be numbered.

Ecclesiastes 1:15

The Ecclesiastes is such a gloomy character, at one point he was my most favorite (nothing new under the Sun, and all is chasing for the wind). He believes that things cannot be made straight once they are messed up. What is crooked cannot be made straight. All is doomed and hopeless. Don't even try to fix what you screwed up, since you really cannot straighten it.... 

When I first read that "what is lacking cannot be numbered" I almost said how stupid can he be, and must have missed all his math classes; since, we for sure can count zero! Zero is a number!

Even if we cannot hold it in hand (since is lacking), but we have it as a number! However I think Ecclesiastes was a bit more materialistic here and talks about the fact that if one does not have something, or is lacking something, then for sure won't be able to count it and put a number to how many items are.

However, just don't think about the what is lacking as being what one has as debt. Indeed lacking 10K can be for sure numbered and the Bank will do it, even if the person has a large banner with the Ecclesiastes' words :-)

Reading 3

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, 

but one receives the prize?

Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

1 Corinthians 9: 24

In other words: Do your best to be the best!

Often times I hear people asking why are we on the Earth, in this life, and what is our meaning, our purpose.

This tells all we need to know: Do all you can do, to be your very best!

Lev Semyonovich Vygotsky (1896-1934) a Russian psychologist who developed the theory of human cultural and social development talks about the zone of proximal development (ZPD). He explains it as the zone between what a child can do by herself and what she could do if she is helped by another individual (parent, teacher, more knowledgeable peer). That difference of what one actually does and the maximum potential is the ZPD. 

We should strive always to do our best, to reach our maximum potential.

Reading 2

"whoever is not against you is for you"

Luke 9: 50

Cast all your anxiety and do not worry. But this does not mean to do nothing. Anxiety can paralyze action, or can lead to the wrong action. Ecclesiastes 9: 18 "Wisdom is better than weapons of war."

But wisdom can come only with a clear mind that is not clouded by anxiety.

Instead of worrying that runny nosed kids might pass on to you the flu, just go get the flu shot and wash your hands. The shot is a bit of bad virus in you, but not enough to cause you the flu. Is indeed not against you but for you! 

Interestingly here the message is exact the opposite than the one in Matthew 12: 30 "He who is not with me is against me." I like the message in Luke 9: 50 because it does not blame or bring prejudice on the Other.

We are we to blame the other just because is not like us? Why should the other be the enemy only because is not friend? Shouldn't we be merciful and accepting?

Trust in the other since if it is not your enemy will not do harm to you!