Jack’s Winning Words 6/19/17
“Love could change the world in a moment, but what do I know?”  (Ed Sheeran)  Sheeran’s song, “What do I know?” has to do with sticking up for people.  Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”  Think how the world would change if we’d put ourselves in the other person’s place.  Try working two jobs; try living without health insurance; try being a refugee.  Putting yourself in another’s place could change the world…but what do I know?    ;-)  Jack

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  please stop w/the liberal agenda... health insurance, refugees... there is more to life than politics.====JACK:  I'm sorry if I offended you, but sometimes I get carried away when I think about how bad some people in the world have it.  When Jesus says "Love your neighbor as you love yourself," I just wonder what that means.====LIZ:  you didn't offend me, but thank you. i am weary of all the drama of the world.  everyday normal people matter, too. we do not need to live a life of guilt bc some are worse off, some better.  why did god make so many crummy people, is my question. the ones who need to feel guilt never will anyway.  my two cents for the day!====JACK:  If I could only put myself in your place...then I would understand.  Love begins with trying to understand.  Personally, I don't think that God created crummy people.  God has created people and given them free will.  They are not be be robots manipulated by him.  I believe that God has also created people to help (love) one another.  I see Jesus as God creating a human being with a spirit (his Spirit) to show us how we are to live and treat other individuals.  Of course, there is more to Jesus than that, but his life and teachings are an example for me to follow...so the words, "Love your neighbor (care about people in need)" are very important to me.  Having said that...We each have our relationship with God.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  My thought for the day in S.S. yesterday was "The purpose of Life is to convert time into love. Love keeps us going; Hope moves our feet." (Maria Goff's book: Love Lives Here) We have people in our church congregation struggling with all those challenges you mention here, and are good hard working folks who haven't had the opportunities others had, or sometimes made poor decisions along the way. Love and being appreciated go a long way to lighten their load!  I forget the name of the woman, now, who said, "I long for the day when a child can say, "Mother, what was War?!"  Amen!====JACK:  Sometimes folks do such a good job explaining why people are poor and needy that the explanation becomes an excuse to do nothing.  I think of the man born blind and how Jesus was asked for the reason.  Jesus didn't explain the reason; he just healed the man.

FROM LS:  John I do and it is painful.  Immediately,  I need help for a woman in auburn hills that is without.  Yes, in auburn Hills.   I have tired churches, community agencies et al all have been no help to her for various reasons.  Do you know any charities or persons that help those who have no where to turn?====JACK:  Part of the "helper's" job is to know the resources that are available.  In our area there' an organization called, The Lighthouse, which does a good job of helping meet the needs of people in a variety of ways including, referrals.

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  "But what do I know?"  I know that hate has changed the world and it will take more than a moment to change that.  It's sad to watch as so many evil and perverse forces are on the attack in society today.  A simple example is the road rage that is so common these days.  The adage "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" has almost been obliterated.  John Lennon thought love could change the world, but the words of his song "All You Need Is Love" have been sadly misinterpreted by today's youth.  I think a paraphrase of Martin Luther King would be that so many who knew better, stood by and watched but did nothing to stop it.====JACK:  St. Paul had a good answer..."Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  It's a real  battle to give voice for the voiceless, but as the song says: "We shall overcome."

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  What a wonderful thought, everyone loving everyone.   In Heaven, that will be the case.====JACK:  The needs of the poor these days are being made into a political issue, when, in reality, it's a religious (moral and humanitarian) issue.  WWJD?====JUDY:  Unfortunately, by helping people the wrong way, we made a mess of things.  There are many groups doing the best they can and those are the people we should help.  Send vaccines, food, clothing, care packages, animals and help the poor learn to help themselves.

FEOM KANSAN DON:  Ask the CEO at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.====JACK: Don't you have a CEO in Kansas with similar ideas anout caring for the poor and needy?.BTW, How's your tax experiement turning out?

FROM LA VIE EN ROSE:   Thanks for sharing! I have been listening to this song a lot lately :) ====JACK:  I like it...the words...the beat.

FROM LBP:  :)====JACK:  Be sure to read the blog.====LBP:  I did. One other person knew the song.  Interesting reactions it elicited. It can be tiring to love your neighbors and walk in their shoes. I guess I take the "in a moment" to be less of a magic wand for an instantaneous global fix than a reminder in each moment. Your comment about an open mind is more of my interpretation. And I cannot save the world myself. It's too overwhelming to contemplate. Think of the x-men origin stories when Dr Xavier realizes his empathetic ability can scan the globe. The cacophony is overwhelming. I regularly remind myself to focus on my place in the picture.  Here is an example. I was excited for strides toward precision medicine in cancer when a colleague who serves displaced teens in the city grilled me on this use of funds. Frustrated she asked How can the perfect treatment for one outweigh the needs of so many who struggle to get basic care? Would such precision science be available to them?  We talked. In my world of cancer research "everyone" wants the fix for cancer. But outside that bubble are worlds I didn't even know, like lgbtq teens living on the streets of Detroit. I support her efforts and I believe she now sees the value of mine in the bigger picture. And what do you know... we got funds from the hospital for both. I cannot do it all. None of us can do it alone. But if we each take a part and are open to listening .... maybe love can change the world in a moment ... but what do I know?====JACK:  There's an old song with the line..."And, if everyone lit just one little candle,  What a bright world this would be!"  Thanks for being a candle lighter.