Monday, March 11, 2013

Going Begging

IF you have never done it before, try it . Yes its intrusive and most people don't want to listen,  let alone talk to you , but its strangely good for them and strangely good for you . (Assumming the cause is not for you)
You see life is not all about letting people do what they like ; And its not all about GNP - how much stuff you can stuff . People who really enjoy life ( see map below) have learnt to do the hard things - like the washing up , like giving and giving for little return.   Mothers !


Begging begins at home . " Will you please pick up your clothes" our mothers said, said and said .  While dad's begging can often be about his needs , begging on behalf of others can be a necessary reminder to the blind (" If you get married son, let me remind you again ,  she, however wonderful or nearly like me she may be,  will not want to pick after you like I often do. I am begging you to not practice being a burden, but to give --- "How to make couples happy"  ABCTV recently  )
Cold calling too,  is full of surprises . A noisy house can suddenly go completely quiet when you knock on the door .   A struggling mum with 4 babes  can give you more than you would ever hope for ( like the widow who gave 2 mites which was a huge % of her income ) . Being there at that moment is a precious reminder of grace - a great place to be and to share;  Not everyone is held back by thoughts of scarcity ;  of their own pressing needs.
If you we thinking there is no good in the world,  go and beg for a good cause; have your faith in humanity restored.
You see its good ( I didn't say easy) for us to give . It is we are told , more blessed to give than 2 receive . You can see it on the faces of the people passing by . The shiny new 4WD with shiny new boat on tow is not smiling .  The person who was happy to give has got more joy on their face as they leave than they will get all day from anything else they do .These are the big things you see and experience and it does you a world of good , because the world is good and there is soemthing deeper that dumb preoccupations with scarcity . I even write songs and sing to some people when I am on duty walking up the traffic lanes ( I did at the weekend - the song featuered in West side story ) Many of them were off to a music festival  .
You see it s not all about me ( or you) and doing something for others can change your whole perspective.
Sure,  you,  like them,  feel a little guilt at pressing the need to consider .But whats guilt for except to bring in a change of heart ? A cahnge of heart that rejects what's easy and unsustainable  - to what's tough and sustainable .
You see too on the street that its good for all us to give so we we can grow and get something bigger and better in return . They don't teach you that in secular economics  class . There is a mystery here . God's mysterious economy . Give and you  getta lot;  give nothing and you get less than nothing .
The above map is an index ( only one persons) of happiness 
One thing too  is sure;  the cynics are wrong . For 9 out of every 10 who pass unblessed there is 1 who gives generously and shares a blessing that's much bigger than the amount involved.
Some cynics in the ABC seem to think that "chaplaincy in schools" ( forexample) is not a good thing .The testimony on the street is that they are wrong dead wrong .  . Sure the people of the town  may not think much of the churches or  the need for religious type talk  ( even though they choose to go there for school??  ) but they give and say gladly yes when told "what its for "  .( 95% of people who ask are happy to give more to chapliancy in schools). Talk is cheap really cheap !!  You see you don't see much unless you see what people are really committed to.


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