Acceptance
This happened yesterday...
I hurry to the Yonge/Bloor subway station. It's 5:00 pm and I need to catch the 5:40 bus at Scarborough Town RT station. Yes! Here's the train. Quickly I find a seat and I take out the Time Magazine to read. 30s after I settle on the train, a realize that a lady (maybe around 24-25 years old) who sits at a right angle to me leave her seat after staring at the guy sitting in front of her. This guy sits opposite to me, face to face. He wears a car racing jacket and sunglasses. He covers his mouth with his right fist. Can't really see his face. He has a large traveling bag with him. I examine him for a few minutes. Why the lady left? What's wrong with this guy? My heart beats fiercely accelerate. The guy takes away his fist. He's holding some kleenex in his hand. A lot of saliva comes out of his mouth. That's disgusting and I'm not dare to look at his face now. That guy takes out something from his bag. It's a can of beer (oh! he's a drunk) and a can of thinner (what's he doing with the thinner?) . He pours some thinner onto the kleenex. He covers his mouth with his fist again (with the kleenex). Is he sniffing the thinner? Or is he sucking the thinner? I've no idea. Should I leave? But God asks us to accept all others. Isn't my leave a demonstration of discrimination and inacceptance? After 5-10 mins, I decide to leave. I can't stop thinking about that man after settling in another seat. I take out another book to read. Can't concentrate. I keep looking at the man sitting 2-3 metres away from me, worrying that he'll come near and performs some detrimental acts. Then, I take out the bible, hoping that it will calm my heart. That doesn't work. After reading one chapter, I leave the train.
What's the true meaning of acceptance? Does God expect me to accept everyone on earth, even this weird guy? I can't imagine myself talking or eating or even sitting with that man and I'm sure I don't want to see him again. Am I failing the test of acceptance and love?
I hurry to the Yonge/Bloor subway station. It's 5:00 pm and I need to catch the 5:40 bus at Scarborough Town RT station. Yes! Here's the train. Quickly I find a seat and I take out the Time Magazine to read. 30s after I settle on the train, a realize that a lady (maybe around 24-25 years old) who sits at a right angle to me leave her seat after staring at the guy sitting in front of her. This guy sits opposite to me, face to face. He wears a car racing jacket and sunglasses. He covers his mouth with his right fist. Can't really see his face. He has a large traveling bag with him. I examine him for a few minutes. Why the lady left? What's wrong with this guy? My heart beats fiercely accelerate. The guy takes away his fist. He's holding some kleenex in his hand. A lot of saliva comes out of his mouth. That's disgusting and I'm not dare to look at his face now. That guy takes out something from his bag. It's a can of beer (oh! he's a drunk) and a can of thinner (what's he doing with the thinner?) . He pours some thinner onto the kleenex. He covers his mouth with his fist again (with the kleenex). Is he sniffing the thinner? Or is he sucking the thinner? I've no idea. Should I leave? But God asks us to accept all others. Isn't my leave a demonstration of discrimination and inacceptance? After 5-10 mins, I decide to leave. I can't stop thinking about that man after settling in another seat. I take out another book to read. Can't concentrate. I keep looking at the man sitting 2-3 metres away from me, worrying that he'll come near and performs some detrimental acts. Then, I take out the bible, hoping that it will calm my heart. That doesn't work. After reading one chapter, I leave the train.
What's the true meaning of acceptance? Does God expect me to accept everyone on earth, even this weird guy? I can't imagine myself talking or eating or even sitting with that man and I'm sure I don't want to see him again. Am I failing the test of acceptance and love?
posted by tuenmo at 9:30 AM
2 Comments:
oh finally you start writing your own blog... good for you!!!
this is my blog:
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/fong2ling
hey, your act of leaving doesn't necessary deny acceptance and love fully. i think this world is too messed up, and often times we think of our own safety first. it takes a lot of courage to approach this guy with all the description you have provided. but hey, what you had was a great experience today. Jesus could do it, why couldn't we. Jesus would approach him, why wouldn't we. back to all the basic life principles (haha good old sunday school) that we have learnt, what is the root causes that led to this refusal to approach? who knows what Jesus will bring upon you tomorrow. i'm glad to see such a reflection from you. keep it up. :):)
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