Mine, Mine, Mine

You see them in the parking lots of fast food restaurants, strip malls, and parks. They're fighting for french fries, pieces of our hamburgers, bread crumbs, anything we'll leave behind for them to nibble on. Yes.. I am talking about the selfish, annoying bird called the seagull. Thanks to Pixar's Finding Nemo, we now know what they are chanting when they do battle over that french fry that hasn't even had time to shrivel in the sun or collect ants: "Mine! Mine! Mine!"

Over the last few years our culture in America has flocked to new heights (or lows) in this act of selfishness. This past week I noticed this more extensively when I was called upon to the civic duty of serving on a jury. Though I never officially got questioned in order to be selected, I did however sit in the courtroom to observe the selection process and witness, on all levels, the behavior of our society as it exists.

The first thing I noticed was how many potential jurors were victims of a crime: mugged by gun point, purse snatched, domestic abuse, car or house broken into.

The second thing I noticed was how many were deliberately trying to get out of serving on a jury. The judge did warn us in the beginning that this was a first degree murder trial and it would probably be at least a 5 day trial. I do admit some had legitimate reasons for not wanting to serve on this trial, such as being adamantly against handguns, or were victims of assault. But some admitted they disliked police, had a bad experience and didn't trust them, and couldn't leave their opinions aside and come to a conclusion based on evidence. One even claimed his dislike for lawyers and was very adament about not serving.(the State's Attorney drilled him good!!)

As the court reached a conclusion, and jurors and alternates were chosen, an exuberant joy was let out, loudly I might add, by those who didn't get chosen. All of this in front of the defendant that was standing on trial for this crime. I wondered to myself, what must have been going through his mind, his fate lying in the hands of people who didn't want to be there to serve.

Would he get a fair trial?

Though we may perceive our society as being one in disarray and financial crimes rising in:bank thefts, muggings, purses stolen, credit card fraud, all of this most likely due to the economy. We do however see a rise in charitable giving. In a recent Christianity Today poll, 78 percent of those surveyed will give the same amount or more this year than in 2008.

Our society may look a mess and our economy looking bleak, but we as Christians know,there is no lack in God's economy when we give. Thankfully God looks at the heart and loves a cheerful giver. This does not necessarily mean just the giving of our money, but: the giving of our responsibility to society, our giving of Jesus Christ's love, and our giving when we see someone in need.

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. (2Cor.9:6-8)