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Puerto Rico is a beautiful island with incredibly friendly and gracious people and yet there is a quality about the people here I find repulsive. They are aggressive, selfish, me-first drivers, when in the car, with absolutely NO consideration for anyone but themselves. When it comes to who goes first it will always be them, if it is within their power, even at the risk of certain wrecks. Our house backs up to a small creek that runs along a very busy road and in the short three weeks or so that we have lived here, we have heard numerous wrecks just beyond the trees. It doesn't stop on the roads however, today we were literally run over by a guy pushing his way to the front of the line with his cart, making sure he was first to check out at the grocery. He never apologized or even acknowledge his behavior. Truly "road rage" is alive and well in Puerto Rico.
What causes people to behave so rudely? My husband said the other day that life is just not that short that you would need to kill yourself to get there first. So what is the problem? I really believe it is a total lack of respect for God and thus authority that causes such behavior. When you meet people personally here, they are polite and kind and treat you with respect, but when they don't know you--they have nothing to lose in the relationship--they are rude, crude and hateful. It is all about them!
There are religious people here on the island, but they are few and far between. On Sundays it is so glaring how few are out and about "worshiping God". The malls are packed, the beaches are full and the restaurants are busy, but it is obvious they have not just left "church". Traffic here is unbelievable from early morning until late at night except on Sunday mornings on our way to worship. No one is out; the streets are deserted and the driveways are full of parked cars. But, have no fear, just after lunchtime, the masses return to the road at a fever pitch and the chaos begins again. It is ironic, but the time that you would think many would be out worshiping God, most here are at home resting (worshiping themselves).
Have you ever thought about how your respect for God determines how you drive your vehicle, not to mention your grocery cart? If you have respect for God--the author of law and order, of peace, then you respect the rights of others and consider others before yourself. However, if you do not acknowledge Him as Lord and ruler of your life, then chaos and confusion reign and that is certainly true of the vast majority of the drivers on this beautiful island God created for them. Paradoxical!
The lack of God in the lives of the people here is seen in many other aspects of their lives: the way they dress (or maybe I should say don't dress), the way they spend their time and the things that are so important to them. Does your life reflect who is most important in your life? It does! The question is, does it reflect that God is most important in your life?
Dana Burk
What causes people to behave so rudely? My husband said the other day that life is just not that short that you would need to kill yourself to get there first. So what is the problem? I really believe it is a total lack of respect for God and thus authority that causes such behavior. When you meet people personally here, they are polite and kind and treat you with respect, but when they don't know you--they have nothing to lose in the relationship--they are rude, crude and hateful. It is all about them!
There are religious people here on the island, but they are few and far between. On Sundays it is so glaring how few are out and about "worshiping God". The malls are packed, the beaches are full and the restaurants are busy, but it is obvious they have not just left "church". Traffic here is unbelievable from early morning until late at night except on Sunday mornings on our way to worship. No one is out; the streets are deserted and the driveways are full of parked cars. But, have no fear, just after lunchtime, the masses return to the road at a fever pitch and the chaos begins again. It is ironic, but the time that you would think many would be out worshiping God, most here are at home resting (worshiping themselves).
Have you ever thought about how your respect for God determines how you drive your vehicle, not to mention your grocery cart? If you have respect for God--the author of law and order, of peace, then you respect the rights of others and consider others before yourself. However, if you do not acknowledge Him as Lord and ruler of your life, then chaos and confusion reign and that is certainly true of the vast majority of the drivers on this beautiful island God created for them. Paradoxical!
The lack of God in the lives of the people here is seen in many other aspects of their lives: the way they dress (or maybe I should say don't dress), the way they spend their time and the things that are so important to them. Does your life reflect who is most important in your life? It does! The question is, does it reflect that God is most important in your life?
Dana Burk
1 comment:
¡HÃjole! This is really going help me with my attitude! :( I am praying for patience since that is a necessary part of my Christianity.
Ed
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