Well I had an interesting week. Something happened this week that allowed GOD to show me how sad some HIS people really are acting and how messed up the "church" really is. I knew it was, but still it is always sad to 'see' evidence of it again.
Two different things took place, yet they were alike in many ways. Both took place on the web-on facebook.
Social media-it has become a tool that we use daily; most of us do-to communicate with others. I use it to communicate with my children, relatives, friends in this area and other states and even some clients.
I almost never post anything about my 'job' on there, but I do post things from others about birth. I post scriptures, I post photos, I comment and share things that I find interesting, and I use it to do research-only because it is so widely used now.
So the beginning of the week, a birthy friend posted something related to abortion-a question and then her opinion. This friend -I do consider to be a friend, her views are not the same as mine when it comes to religion and abortion. But I still consider her to be a friend. We have gone to a midwifery conference and shared the expense of a room. I am not like some christians who refuse to even speak with those who do not share the same views. (how can we show them the true love of YHWH when we do not even speak with those who do not share our belief?)
So I posted on her page after her post about abortion, that I could not agree and I posted why-sharing a scripture that says:
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die. 12Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew! And he will judge all people according to what they have done. Proverbs 24:11-12
Out of all the commenters on this thread, only one was very rude-saying that we needed to "be real" and went on to complain about those of us who do not want women to have the freedom of choice are not real and yada yada yada. So I did point out what I would do, and also what I have done, and what I do for mission work (I began a not-for-profit ministry that serves in the U.S. to many, and I have done mission work since 1992, from 1 to 5 trips a year) so basically I was not trying to toot my own horn, but say hey! I DO work for many, and the lower income, poor, homeless, etc-is what I work with! I also said (and many believers will feel I am wrong) but the government and myself do not have the right to tell you that you can not have an abortion. I think the government has too much control, and even though I feel to my deepest inner being, how wrong abortion is, I can not restrict a person's choice. So how do i rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death? (I will address that on another blog soon!)
The freedom to post our opinions, even if opposing-is one thing this country is about.
Freedom.
So later in the week, someone else, totally different page-different poster---posted something that I found to be very rude.
I waited 3 hours before posting my thoughts, because I wanted to pray about what I posted, (not that I did not pray before I posted before on the other site too) --but since this person claimed to be a believer-I knew I would be handling this person differently, as this person should know the scriptures
-here is what was originally posted:
"someone that flips hamburgers and drops fries into grease does need to have their pay changed............. to 50 cents and hour " (typos are the poster)
Others responded at first, and then I posted this:
"Are you meaning that the employees do not deserve to be paid more than 50 cents an hour?"
(because at first I read it wrong, and thought the poster was referring to the corporate level, not the 'little' workers- and I was not the only person who read the original post wrong, one of my sons who had posted before me -had read his post incorrectly too, thinking the same thing.)
This person responded again, saying unskilled workers=unskilled pay. (and said more too)
I responded: "So underpaying them at 50 cents an hour like you said above is ok to do? Im sorry, but I have a different opinion. I believe we are to pay a fare wage. They can protest, they can ask for more, and just because they do-I do not believe that as a believer of YHWH it is ok to reduce their pay to 50 cents. my opinion. " (typos mine)
The original poster then said: "The 50 cents was obviously sarcasm but anything over 5 dollars an hour that a trained monkey can do for free is too much. Yes monkeys can be trained to flip burgers for free..."
All I could say at that time was wow. This person professes to be a believer, and was acting like this on facebook? Again, freedom of speech allows this -but as a believer, I think we have to try to do better.
I am not perfect, by no means, we all fail, I have many times, but when it is pointed out to you how you are behaving, would you change, apologize? I would think so, but no-this person did not.
Proverbs 25:12 says: Valid criticism is as treasured by the one who heeds it as jewelry made from finest gold.
A number of people tried to discuss this, telling this poster that they (using "they" so you do not know if the poster was male or female as to avoid identifying the person) --were being rude and unreasonable but this person would not hear it. I thought, really? YHWH has a plan for how we are to treat others, including so called unskilled workers. We are to pay a fair wage, (GODs word says so) and HE has guidelines as to how we are to treat the workers!
1 Timothy 5:18
English Standard Version (ESV)
18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”
I put up the following scriptures to try to show the person what YHWH says:Deuteronomy 15:7
“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.”
Psalm 82:3-4
"Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
Proverbs 31:8-9
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Jeremiah 22:13
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.?"
Proverbs 14:31
“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
I did not put up as many scriptures that there are out there, but tried to put a number of them up so I hopefully could show this person what YHWH/GOD had to say about it.
The posts were then all removed, so I thought, yes, this person has thought about the whole thing and removed it. Maybe the LORD GOD YHWH has spoken to this person's heart.
No, the next post was put up saying offensive things too, and when this person was questioned again by my daughter--because she was offended by this persons posts, her posts were removed. She then posted the same thing, but again-removed. Anything that was not lining up with how this person felt was removed. Scripture was removed. But by other posts, I noticed that the one scripture that this person seems to like is -how to judge others. That tells the heart of the person. Only judgement is ok.
We can only judge when we judge thru YHWH/YAHWEH's eyes and HIS word as a guide to judge. ALL of HIS word, not just here and there pieces!
Well the story that YHWH brought to my mind when seeing all of this happening was the one about the money changers and how angry YESHUA became when HE went into the outer courts and saw how the poor were being treated by those selling to them---HE overturned the money changers tables. Wow! that is when I see our LORD becoming angry, with those who were taking advantage of the poor-HE was not angry with the poor, but those who were taking advantage of them. Not paying a fair wage is also taking advantage of the poor. So why does this person not see that in the scriptures?
Because many people who claim to be a believer, pick and choose what they want to believe in the scriptures. Confusing.
But YHWH /GOD says we will know them by their fruits-that means your actions will speak loudly to others.
Fast forward to after several posts by others, and the scriptures I posted, and my daughter trying to talk with this person privately, since she was so hurt/offended-she reached out to this person privately---although scripture says this:
23 So if when you are offering your gift at the altar you there remember that your brother has any [grievance] against you,
24 Leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your gift.
25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way traveling with him, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.
26 Truly I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last fraction of a penny.
Who do you think the judge is that the person will hand the other person over to?
But my daughter took the higher road and reached out to this person right away -- not because this other person was offended, but because my daughter was and wanted to make things right.
I want to explain why my daughter was offended:
My daughter works in a bakery at a grocery store, she works hard. She is often lifting boxes that weigh 50# or more over her head, as well as working around a hot oven all day-winter or summer! My son-in-law, her husband works at McDonalds, he has for years-and is now moving up in management. He works hard too-long hours. I am thankful that they both have a job, and they are both providing for each other in their life, working to pay off their home and pay for things and needs themselves and not taking handouts. They are eligible for some, but don't take them (AND I am NOT saying that it is wrong to take help from the government-no, not at all-it is fine to do so if you need the help). They do not have a college education, so would be considered not a skilled worker.
Why put them -as well as other non skilled workers, workers who serve us-down? This is soo very wrong of a christian to do. We have to be better folks!
And my daughter and her husband have provided a place for our other daughter to live for almost 4 years, as she attended school. That too is sacrifice.
But this person, continued to be rude to my daughter.
It reminds me of one time when my other daughter -who was at a former job she use to work at, a coffee place along the toll road, was told by a customer-
"you will never amount to anything if you keep working here..."
My daughter was not allowed to respond back at all, but what she wanted to say was this: "I sir, am working my way thru college, paying my own way-doing this as well as another job while I attend school full time. I am using this money, how little I make- to pay my way so you -as a taxpayer, do not have to pay my way on grants etc."
See, you never know about a person! This daughter is now a teacher by the way!
Here is what I think about 'unskilled labor' as this person called them:
The person is AT LEAST working
providing income for their family
and I remember that they are made in GODs image and are one of HIS children (we are all HIS children, just some have turned away from HIM and those folks -if you who are a believer-you need to be more loving and kind -representing the SAVIOR to them) ---SO be KIND!
What I learned from all of this is sometimes believers are the worse to work with. And that folks---is WRONG.
I am saddened this week by all of this. The first time this happened this week, I worked with someone online with a different opinion, they were willing to allow the different opinions to be posted on their page, allow scripture that I shared to back my view to remain on their page, and they were very respectful. That person is not a believer (as I believe).
The other-who claims to be a believer-was rude, kept taking down the scriptures -censoring things others were saying- including scripture!
This is one reason why some who do not believe about YHWH do not want to hear about HIM from us or the good news we have to share about YHWH and what HIS SON has done for us! With social media, they see it this type of behavior more often and it really turns them off!
We as believers need to be better than this, if in fact we are spouting off on a social media site, yes on your own page-but still public---and you do throw up all over everyone in the process ---then be willing to help clean it up and not become a hard hearted person.
Oh I am sure now that this person will 'de-friend me' and really, I do not care.
My daughter was offended.
My daughter (as well as a few other people) were hurt and offended.
As a believer this person has a responsibility, but has failed.
I do not share this to point out one person, or persons, but to show and compare the reaction of non-believers and believers and to show that it is sad that the non-believer in the first post (original post about abortion) did far better than the believer. We believers need to do better folks. And for the record: I believe like scripture shows us: we are to pay a fair wage to workers for a day of work. AND we are to pay enough to allow them to make a living with the cost of living around here. (that means different mcdonalds may pay different wages depending on which area of the country they are in)
Tipping is important too-I tip at 10% for average service, and at 15-20 or even 30% or more for better to wonderful service. Why? Not because I am made of money, or because I want to say: hey look at me! How wonderful I am and I can pay and tip a lot! I tip because I want to show respect and appreciation for those who do a good job. It is the right thing to do.
So is paying a person a fair wage, and that folks-includes McDonald workers.
Proverbs 14:31
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
Matthew 6:24
