grab the initiative and do it for them!

Saturday November 13th, Luke 6: 31-34 "Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them! If you only love the lovable, do you expect a pat on the back? Run-of-the-mill sinners do that. If you only help those who help you, do you expect a medal? Garden-variety sinners do that. If you only give for what you hope to get out of it, do you think that's charity? The stingiest of pawnbrokers does that. The Holocaust museum in Jerusalem is wonderfully put together and does a remarkable job of walking you through the rise of Nazism and how, step by step, human rights were denied, resources controlled, the Jewish people were segregated in to closed areas and on and on until the horrific murder of more than six million children of God. Not far from the Holocaust museum is the birth place of Jesus, Bethlehem, which is segregated with a 25 foot high cement wall topped with concertina wire (paid for by the US) and surrounded by armed guards. Olive orchards have been taken away as the wall was placed between land owner and the land. The water is controlled and turned on for 2 hours a week, sometimes, and not always at the same time and there is no schedule, in addition there are laws in place to make it illegal for any Palestinian to dig a well, thereby leaving them totally at the whim of the controlling Israeli government. Voting rights are denied in the Palestinian territory and there is 65% unemployment and people not allowed to pass to get to work on a regular basis, and needless to say, hatred continues brewing day in and day out. How do you want to be treated? Grab the initiative and go out and do it for others.