What If?

[OneGrassRoot]

(Mods, I wrote this so I'm including the article in full with link at bottom)



(Photo by Jay Nolan, AmericanPoverty.org)


A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.

Martin Luther King, Jr.


WHAT IF?

What if you're someone who disagrees with governmental social safety nets and instead believes only "charity" should help those in need; are you confident the majority (and there are MANY in the US and around the world today) would be helped by Good Samaritans in an unconditional way, or only those deemed worthy?

What if you consider yourself a kind, compassionate person inclined to be "charitable"; when you see someone asking for help -- in the form of panhandling, for example -- are you likely to assess that person before helping, to judge if they are deserving of your assistance? If they don't "look" a certain way or answer your questions a certain way, a way you're most comfortable with, are you likely to help?

What if you prefer to instead instruct and impart wisdom, so that people can help themselves rather than provide assistance directly, yet no one seems as though they could benefit from your wisdom (maybe they're too young, too old, too infirm, too something)?

What if you judge others to be something they aren't, and you pass them by, but they would have indeed been worthy of your help, by your estimation, yet you didn't give them a chance?

What if you may not be the best judge of what others need? After all, we each have our own opinions and perceptions based on our individual life experiences.

What if one day you have no one to help you when you most desperately need it because life has taken a turn never anticipated? And what if you're in the exact same position one day -- at the mercy of strangers -- and others judge you as something you're not?

What if you're no longer here but loved ones have fallen on hard times and are at the mercy of strangers, and they're judged to be something they're not, so they are left to struggle, and perhaps die, alone?

What if there are so many in need that they outnumber Good Samaritans, because not everyone will act as an unconditionally compassionate Good Samaritan?

What if we decided to work together as a compassionate, productive community, creating a society that doesn't reward greedy, selfish behavior but instead works to create systems and institutions which truly reflect something beneficial for the masses?

What if we made choices that led our descendents to view us as kind, benevolent, wise stewards of the environment and one another...guardians of their future?

What if we were able to embrace phrases like "The Common Good" and "The Greater Good" as something admirable to work toward, rather than a reflection of weakness and some elusive "ism" that others have said are bad?

What if we at least talk about it, with an open mind and open heart?

What if you at least tried to believe this is possible, in our lifetime?

That's a choice that is within your power to make and act on.


Article originally posted here, with more links: http://www.wishadoo.org/wishadoo/blog/what-if/




edit to add photo credit