We all know what has happened in Japan, and it is devastating. An earth quake so large that it moved the country 4 inches and even knocked the earth off it's axis a little. That, is incredible. Not what happened, but the sheer power of nature. Every time something happens like this I find it humbling because I realize that I'm not the top of the food chain, but rather I'm an ant and at any moment I could be squashed without effort and gone from this world forever. What else amazes me about this phenomena is the people. The reaction of the people of Japan to this disaster takes my breath away. They are calm, orderly, and still honoring one another.
When rescue began, men who were ok jumped in the efforts. These people did not wait for ambulances and stretchers, they were rescuing people my placing them on their own backs and carrying them to safety with the elderly always coming before the young. That is unheard of in America, and it's sad.
These people also stood in line for water and care, allowing the elderly, sick, and those more in need to go ahead of them without question. What?! This sounds like an old black and white film or something! I literally can't imagine that ever happening. Our whole country is standing in awe over this, and may are contributing greatly in donations to their needs because the feel such actions should be rewarded.
We suffered a disaster to our country not too long ago in New Orleans. And it was utter chaos. People were in a frenzy, only after one thing, survival for themselves. They were looting left and right, stealing from their own neighbors, and pushing down the elderly to get ahead and have a better chance. This makes me sick.
Where is the honor in America? I 100% believe that it is unfortunately a lost virtue, rarely ever seen. Even among believers.
The Japanese people are raised in an honor shame society. Which, in essence, is if your actions and word are not honoring, they are shaming your family, your community, your Church, your employer, your friends, and your country. In these societies if you stole a kid's snack pack in the 2nd grade do you know what would happen? Your teacher would tell your parents and community and together they would punish you. Everyone you know and don't know would know what you did. Man, if that were me, I would never do that again! This society works. An extreme few are in jail and the people are unified.
I love America and I take pride in my nation, but this makes me embarrassed! We are all for one, none for you. We are a society build on privacy, and it is our biggest downfall. No one will get in anyone's "business," which means no one will stand up for others, help the sick and weak, or report and prevent crime because that's "not their job." I CANNOT STAND this ideal. I'm sorry, but if I see someone stealing or about to rape someone, I am going to do everything in my power to make a citizens arrest, beat the snot out of someone to stop them, or at least take a photo on my phone so the cops can get him. Many of you will agree with what I just said, but study after study after study people turn their head and go about their business.
One of my favorite shows reveals this exact thing. It's called What Would You Do? They set up a scenario in a public setting ranging from the waiter dropping one's food on the floor and still serving it to someone drugging a girl's drink. Even though you can see how many people see the act, eventually, only one person will stand up and say something, and that person is usually a woman and someone in their 40's and up.
We live in a shame society. You can do whatever the heck you want! Since we have become this way there are more and more people dealing with depression, more and more crime, more and more suffering and hurt people. There is more and more of everything that should pain us to think about. What has happened to us?
As believers, this should not be our social norm. We should be an honor society, yet we aren't. We allow others to do whatever they please, saying that 'it's not our problem' when it is clearly not acceptable. By not addressing issues, you set that person up for sin, destruction, and a one way ticket to a very dark place.
This blog was inspired by Hosea 4:18 "They love shame more than honor." Is that you? Are you so in love with your shameful lifestyle that you don't even know what honor is or the last time you honored God, your Church, or your family? Honor is defined as the following: honesty, fairness, integrity in one's beliefs and actions, high respect, as for worth, merit, and rank, high public esteem. Is that you? Maybe it's time for a change?
As Christians, this should be our standard. Everything we do should be honoring to God, our Church, our family, our spouses, our kids, our elderly, our friends, and our community. We can change this, we can turn this around. One by one, day by day, year by year, we can change society. We changed it to become the way it is now haven't we? You wana make a difference, than be different. In the words of Michael Jackson, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change."
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