Cause to ponder...

Willing to serve...
I was talking to a lady yesterday about faith and our understandings and preferences related to faith. She told me of the denomination she attended and told of the style of meditative worship and the discussions they had about "long distance justice issues". I had been wondering what congregation I would attend whenever I retired and she recommended that particular one, which had its attractions. "Intelligent discussion" she said she enjoyed about it. I hesitated, there were indeed attractions, but, I said, I liked something like my present situation where I could actually be active in serving the community, to me, I said, that service was part of the essence of Christianity. She listened and agreed.
But where are they....
Having said that - at the moment the Night Shelter Trust is running a street appeal. I know that there are a lot of retired folk in Churches yet we have struggled to find collectors to collect for an hour for the night shelter. I listened to some good active Christian retirees talking about how they were filling their day in. I had been dashing around collecting buckets, doing an hour of collecting, trying to fit in chaplaincy and church work and I will be working on Night Shelter stuff till late tonight. Here were these good Christians struggling to amuse themselves! I truly wonder if it is just "religion" to them or do they really understand the way of Jesus? Oh well its up to them, it is their life, but if everyone did a little, it wouldn't be so hard on the few. I do know that there are some people these good Christians would look down on and feel superior to, who are out there doing several hours of collecting.
Don't look at him! You might catch his eye!...
I quite enjoy collecting. It is interesting watching human nature. There are those who go to quite some trouble to give, most small change which is appreciated, and others quite sizable generous donations. But there are heaps who avert their eyes. They don't want to see the "beggar" in the street. They will suddenly pull out their phone, scratch their nose or look out the window (sometimes nearly colliding with something) to avoid seeing this old man collecting, or reading about his cause. It is funny when you do catch their eye and smile and say "hi", you can almost see them say, "Oh bugger!".  I guess that's how a lot of people feel about our society... nobody wants to see them. The unemployed, the mental health cases, the struggling solo mother etc etc, can feel like for them, the great majority of society passes by without seeing their plight. It is good for me to stand and be ignored, it helps my understanding of these poor people.