Help Others

If you want to have a great life, help others. This morning I read an article in Time magazine concerning violence in Africa. Quite honestly, I don't like hearing about the unfortunate in other parts of the world. I usually turn off the news when local stations are reporting about thefts or violence in our area. I know it goes on, but since I can't do anything about it, I try to ignore it.
But to have a great life, a life filled with purpose and meaning, it is important we understand the plight of others and help out in small and big ways when we can. The plight of so many in Africa is tragic. Through sinful, corrupt governments thousands of people are taken advantage of, and, in some instances, abused and killed mercilessly. If we are going to have a great life, we must remember the plight of the poor and needy, and help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Certainly all of us can pray for those in our comunity, and in other parts of the globe, who need shelter and food. We can pray that justice and righteousness would prevail. We can give to organizations such as City Union Mission and Samaritan's Purse which help those in need of spiritual and physical help. There may be a few of us who can be actively involved in these ministries, whether volunteering, serving on boards, or going to other parts of the world. Having this kind of perspective on the needy, certainly reminds us to thankful and content in what we have, rather than focusing on what we don't have. In our materialistic society, it's easy to get the "I want's," rather than thinking about and helping those who need a boost to get on with their lives. If you want to have a great life, help others.