Who Are You Not To?

candles2-350x350
I heard these words tonight;

” Who are you to end a war?
    I’m here to tell you
     Who are you not to? “

Let that… simmer a bit.
Actually – let’s be real.
Who are you to end a war?
I mean, if you could – wouldn’t you?
Wouldn’t you be taking steps every day
that brought you closer and closer to
achieving the end result of peace??

Now before you go scrolling on to the next
post or pic that seems way more interesting -
humour me. This won’t take long.
Maybe you’ll save my life. Yours?
Interested?

Because I’d really like to aim this at those
who leave it for others to end the wars.

You know the war I’d like to win?
The war on apathy.  The one we’re losing.
That’s why I was hoping you would care
enough to read this and not just click
away to something more important -
like the Academy Awards or a football game.

” Who are you to end a war? ”

Who are you to help the needy?
Who are you to feed the hungry?
Who are you to heal the hurting?
Who are you to shelter the homeless?
Who are you to clothe those in rags?
Who are you to give Love?
Who are you to give hope?
Who are you to care?

Who are you not to?

Where in our generations did we move away
from being people who took care of our own,
reached out when we saw someone in need,
and treated everyone as if we loved them,
cared about them, and that it was normal
to do what we could for them?
Yes, as if that was a normal way of being HUMAN.

I decided to jump on Dictionary.com tonight
and see what it means to be human, and I
picked the word “humane” – because that’s
a word that implies being human, right?

HUMANE:

Adjective:
1. characterized by tenderness, compassion,
and sympathy for people and animals,
especially for the suffering or distressed:
humane treatment of prisoners.
2. acting in a manner that causes the least harm to people or animals:

Synonyms:
1. merciful, kind, kindly, kindhearted, tender,
compassionate, gentle, sympathetic; benevolent,
benignant, charitable. See human.

See HUMAN.

Yes, I’d like you to look around and
tell me if you see people as a whole being
“merciful, kind, kindly, kindhearted, tender,
compassionate, gentle, sympathetic;
benevolent, benignant, charitable.”

Because that’s what it is to be human.
THAT IS NORMAL FOR US IF WE ARE HUMAN!!!

When did we slide off our humanity and
become slackards to our fellow mankind?
When did we push off helping others to be the
responsibility of outside agencies and entities?

Who am I to care?
Who am I to give hope?
Who am I to give Love?
Who am I to clothe those in rags?
Who am I to shelter the homeless?
Who am I to heal the hurting?
Who am I to feed the hungry?
Who am I to help the needy?

Who am I not to?
Who are you not to??

Do you think what you have to offer
is somehow insignificant, so why bother?

Yes. Admit it! Most of you do. Most of us… do.
And that is not a pleasant truth to sit with.

That’s why we spend the majority of our lives
seeking pleasures, distractions, and vacations
away from the day to day reality that surrounds us.
Because everywhere we look… there is need.
It’s easy to ask “Who am I to help?
Because it’s daunting.
Overwhelming.

So we look the other way.
We walk around the fallen.
And we set our gaze forward
so that we don’t have to face
the suffering that surrounds us.

In a humanity made of people who love and care for
one another, who lend a helping hand when needed,
and never even think the words “Not my problem” -
let me ask you a very serious question;

Where would there be room for war?

You want to know how to take your pipe dream
unattainable notion of “peace” and make it real?

Start CARING and LOVING others.
Start giving HOPE to those who have lost it.
Play a part in meeting the needs of others by
putting yourself in their shoes for a change.
Wouldn’t you appreciate ANY kind of help?!?

BE HUMAN – and stop comparing yourself to
what others do or don’t do around you.
DO WHAT YOU CAN DO – it IS that simple.

BE “merciful, kind, kindly, kindhearted,
tender, compassionate, gentle, sympathetic;
benevolent, benignant, charitable.”

And if you ever catch yourself saying
“Not my problem” You have my permission
to slap yourself hard in the face. Twice. Repeat.

You know, of anything I’ve probably repeated
over the years in a hundred different ways,
this is the one I always have a hard time with.

You have in your hands the answer to
actually achieving a world of peace.

And if you don’t believe that,
read this again and you tell me
how peace could NOT be achieved.

All I ask
is that you stop making excuses and looking
for why you don’t think it will work
and find reasons to make it work.

Who are you to change the world?

WHO ARE YOU NOT TO?!?!?