Precious Love

So, it's Oscar time again, and as usual, I'm on top of things!  Last week I sat breathlessly through the Oscar nominated movie, "Precious."  OK, a mere 365 or so days behind, but some movies are just meant to be seen alone, at your own pace.  In case you're one of the four or five other people left who have never seen it, this is the gist: obese, illiterate, inner city kid coping with motherhood, pregnancy, and eventually HIV, victimized sexually by her father, abused emotionally and physically by her mother, struggles to overcome her disadvantages, finding love and self-worth along the way.  Some criticized it for being "over the top" -- too many stereotypes, too may social issues addressed in one film, and too much drama for one character.  Fine, deny its reality, but you can't deny its premise -- one victimized at every twist and turn, one struggling for "normal" in an environment so dysfunctional that "normal" has been expunged from existence.

Point is, I found myself, probably like most who saw it, knowing darkness and struggle exists in our society, but not wanting to believe it.  The dead walk the streets of our cities and towns; the empty sit next to us on buses and benches.  It's that moment when we first ask ourselves, "How can anyone live like that?" that we choose to ignore.  Its answer eventually leads to a desperate need for action, and who, but ourselves is there to take up that action?  So, we emerge from a darkened theater and reject the existence of such defect, or shake our heads in disgust before retreating to the safety of busy schedules.  The truth is, there are many "Anyones." The reality is, change begins with the "Ourselves."  Our wonderment needs to move beyond empathy or disgust, out of our hearts and minds, onto our lips, and into our hands and feet.  Which, by the way don't belong to us.  God gave us tools with which to serve others and bring glory to Him.  We are His servants and ambassadors in Christ Jesus.  History has shown, as well, the blessing that we receive when we help others; God has promised to prosper those who do His Will.  Let us not ever forget Who ransomed and redeemed us, Who put us here with purpose, Who blessed us with our very next breath, and Who calls us to love as we have been loved - with action, with selflessness, with His very hands and feet.