Today at the supermarket, I stopped by
the eggs. They weren't on my list, but I counted how many I thought
were in the carton at home.
While I surveyed the cage-free options
– TWO out of two-dozen options - two women walked from the opposite
direction. They split up; one going past for mozzarella, the other
picking up a standard dozen eggs, the cheapest carton available.
She made her choice so nonchalantly, so
automatically, hardly weighing the options.
(I hemmed and hawed for
more than a minute.) How does she choose?
I observed one habit. She decided once,
which color package to buy. And now buys it repeatedly, no evaluating
necessary. Easy.
But there is another habit – avoidance. It is easier to look at those bland cartons and
imagine happy hens. I want them to be happy and healthy. And
so I imagine, looking away from the reality that one egg from one
happy hen must cost more than 0.12 cents. Is that egg from a
hen that has even stood on its own feet?
I do this – this looking away – all
the time. Sometimes it's the only way I can cope in this broken
world:
I turn my head, look straight past the
homeless man that has nowhere else to go.
I tune out the number of Washington
orphans waiting for homes.
I deafen my ears to the environment's
screams.
I shield my heart from community that
doesn't value my contribution.
I look away from the dog down the
street, left tied up, alone.
I switch off the news and retreat to my
quiet garden: digging, planting, weeding, anything for hours, trying
to imagine there's no conflicts, no pain...
I can only handle so much – alone.
But, over time my relationship with Jesus builds up my tolerance. He
looked straight at the hurting, the broken, the rejected, the lost in
this life and touched them, listened to them, gave them what He
could.
Because of His mercy, now I can look at
the abuse, the slavery of today and say – NO – I will respond.
I
will partner with others who help bring light into the darkness,
freedom for the captives, good news to the poor.
I will keep praying for needs that
remain for decades, for the impossible to come in the hearts of those
consumed by anger and fear.
And I will spend my dollars in full
view of the One who paid for me. I will focus on what He says is
valuable.
So, I choose to see and
acknowledge the hardness of Life and I Refuse to give up. But not by
my own power. I wouldn't last one day alone.
