I have been reflecting a lot during these days about the reality of other people. I’ve read, watched, and heard several facts leading me to think: “What if it was me?” I just finished reading a post (Carta à minha aluna, Elisabete “Letter to my student, Elisabeth”) at the blog "Escrever é Transgredir" (“To Write is to Infringe”) (http://escreveretransgredir.blogspot.com/) that led me to think deeply about this. How many times are we blind to the reality and perspectives of other people? How many time do we think that our reality and perspectives are the only right ones?
I am reading a book by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinov, The Grand Design, that deals with Quantum Physics, a new theory on alternative histories (all the possible alternatives that could have happened, in Quantum Physics they actually happen, happened and will happen) and some other theories. But one aspect the authors bring very clear is the fact of reality maybe not be the reality. They say that I may be looking at a Picture, a moment, a circumstance and interpret it in a different way from someone else that is looking at the same Picture, moment and circumstances. See that I am not talking about the truth, as many people considered it to be relative nowadays (what is not totally wrong because in certain aspects it can be), but without considering that exist a Truth that is absolute and nothing can change her or touch her. Even when one says the truth is relative he/she is turning this statement into an absolute truth, because they would never give up this remark.
Yesterday night I was watching the news and saw a story of an Indian girl who was deceived to go to Hong Kong under the promise of marriage, but as she got there she became a Bride-slave of the “supposed” groom to be. The “groom” works at the government and brought her to Hong Kong under a work visa, in spite of declaring her to be his wife, in spite of never marrying her, in spite of having received the dowry from her family in India and promising to marry her. She was beaten, raped, locked inside his apartment... until she found a way to escape and go to the Police to file a complaint of kidnapping and abuse. The police answer? No proof enough to investigate the case. Only after some human rights organizations came to the picture is that answers started to show up. What if it was me, my son, or my sister?
This week the president of Brazil has officially recognized the Palestine Authority and its territory, joining 100 other nations that have done so. This led to a criticism made for the State of Israel, and for sure, many other Christians. I love Israel, I have Jewish relatives, I am a Christian who loves the Bible and want to see the prophecies been fulfilled. In spite of these, I though the president did well. Why? It’s our duty to defend the peace and the right to life for all. This includes the Palestinians. The Psalm 122:6 says that we should pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, not that we should force the fulfilling of the prophecies. We should pray and prophecy and seek the peace. God will cause the Scriptures to be fulfilled doesn’t matter if we are in favor or against them. What if it was me? Or what if it was in Brazil or your home country? What if they said you have no rights to citizenship, place for living, locomotion, education, etc? I will continue to pray for the peace of Israel and to defend this peace, but I will continue to pray for the peace of the Palestinians too, and for the peace of the Afghans, Iraqis, Americans, Pakistanis, Koreans, etc. Many times our prayers will have to be followed by practical decisions. Many times I will be the answer to my own prayers. So? How is going to be?
Two weeks ago I heard Pr. Silas Zdrojewski, from the Primeira Igreja do Evangelho Quadrangular de Curitiba (First Foursquare Gospel Church of Curitiba) (http://www.primeiraieq.com.br/), declaring the following statement about something that is missing in many Christians: “Our life need to be coherent to our prayers... The prayer must be an expression of our hearts... The prayer will have more authority by asking for the Kingdom (of God) and living according to the laws of this Kingdom”. How many times we pray selfish prayers according to our selfish perspectives of the reality? How many times we put ourselves inside the lives of other people before we take our decisions?
May we take off the glasses limiting us to our selfish vision of the world, and begin to use lens that may open our eyes to the reality of our neighbors so that we can give a fitting answer to the needs around us and pray the right prayers to the circumstances presenting themselves. Many people want to be prophets and kings; few are those willing to take the towel and the basin to wash others’ feet. May we too seek to have a servant’s eyes.
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