Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Casting Stones

Trying to process this whole Publix incident, where the pregnant Georgia state legislator was called out for using the 15 items or less line with too many items. Then the legislator argued with the little guy, then took to social media with a greatly exaggerated account. Many in the media and government and even Presidential candidates jumped to support. #IstandwithErica became a trending topic on Twitter.
 
When local news stations interviewed the legislator in front of the Publix, the guy returned to tell the true story. Again the legislator argued with the guy, with cameras rolling. Both are Democrats. Then #HateHoax trended. Even four days later Twitter’s headline still erroneously touts “Georgia lawmaker says she was told to ‘go back where you came from’ while shopping” even after the lawmaker admitted to her lie. Who was right? Who was wrong?
 
More than ever these days people break rules. Running stop signs. Failing to use blinkers. Crossing against the lights. Cutting off people in traffic. Stealing office supplies. Stretching the truth. Outright lying. Some people were raised in countries and cultures where the mores were different. Others were brought up in this country and learned to act that way, perhaps not intentionally but by observation. Some call it entitlement. Oftentimes it’s downright selfishness. Even Christians act this way. I am certainly guilty of many things I shouldn’t do.  
 
Man, if I was a publicly elected official, I’d make every effort to be above reproach. Yet I’m sure I would fail, at times acting as I so often do, thoughtlessly and selfishly – entitled, if you will. Shouldn’t matter though. I should always act above reproach, always seeking to honor God will all my heart, mind, and strength.    
 
Several Bible verses come to mind. Let he who hath no sin cast the first stone. The Golden Rule. We recently discussed Sunday Matthew 7: Judge not, that you be not judged. For with judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how you say to your brother ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is a log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, then you can see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
 
Instead I am called to be a servant. Mark 9:35. Matthew 23:11. Matthew 20:26-28: …whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Sunday Ceil passed through Athens and brought back a load of Anna's stuff. She moves home this Saturday.
 

Fajitas are good. In Sunday School this week I learned I wasn’t the only one who thought Pappasitos fajitas were tops.
 
Monday: worked past 5:45. Wasn’t too busy until 3 pm then everything hit at the same time. Ceil cooked grilled chicken and onions, baked sweet potato stringy fries, and tossed a salad. M ate with us. Not many leftovers so I brought bread to make a sandwich.
 
After supper I drove Ceil to Avalon on Old Milton Parkway. While she ran in a few stores I stayed in the car and deleted emails and caught up on social media. Back home I answered some questions Rob Suggs had about attending Braves games. Perhaps we’ll see one together.
 
Did better sleeping Monday night.
 
JOHNNY MIZE [SABR Bio] was the first National League left-handed batter to slug fifty home runs in a season - 51 HR in 1947. He homered three times for the Yankees in the same World Series when he was almost 40 years old - WS HR X 3 for NYY 1952 He was runner-up in the MVP balloting in consecutive seasons - consecutive MVP runner-up seasons (1939-1940). He would receive MVP votes a total of nine additional times in his career without ever winning the award.
 
Left early to go to tonight’s Braves game. Met up with Ceil – she went with a group of 24 women and children from her ministry.

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