Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Philippians 2:4
Have you ever heard someone telling you about something that's been on their mind and you are fighting very hard to not yawn in their face because your own mind is saying, "I have my own truckload of life that I have to deal with, so why should I care about their problems? I just don't care!"? Yep....I'm Guilty, but I'm learning.
I talk with people all the time. And some of the things I'm told are awful, and the most distressing part of such conversations is that I don't always have the resources to help. But I will listen to them, I will make inquiries to see what's available to help. But I'm learning more and more that, while I must care for myself, I also need to care for others.
The excuse I have heard over and over (and have used), "I don't want to get involved!" Then it hit me like a plane load of rocks! If I am unwilling to help others, then why would anyone else be willing to help me? Yes, every decision we make has consequences (good or bad) and we have to live with those consequences, but each of us has the capacity to celebrate with the person who has good consequences AND we have the capacity to help those who have to live with the bad consequences.
Here's the point: Life can be an extremely harsh teacher. So we much look to our classmates to make the lessons not so bad or twice as good.
"As shared joy is twice as bright; a shared burden is half as heavy."
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