live like you look

So, first i want to address something i've been thinking about for a while.

Something i've noticed about people. As a human being, we like to have a feeling that we are being treated like humans. We like to feel like we are humans. We like to be treated decently. How do we do it? how do we feel like decent humans? We have little things in life, like clean clothes and hot showers. We eat good meals, and share with each other. One of the things i've noticed about Uganda is that the people here will stop and greet you as you walk along the street. They are nice to each other, even if they don't know each other. They are concerned about how you are doing, not just merely saying hello. even if you don't have much, you can still be nice to someone. You can still invite them over to take tea. It makes people feel decent to be able to have tea to give, to have a meal, to have things to share. It makes people feel human. So, Like i was saying. People like to feel like humans. They like to feel decent. and it goes in steps. For someone who has never had power, or running water, just sharing a meal with them, staying in their house, when i do that, they feel decent. they feel respectable, they've had a guest over. they were able to share a meal, break bread, fellowship with someone. that makes them feel decent. If someone has always had power, and running water, they feel decent when they are able to enjoy a break, watch some tv. take time to enjoy things. And those people who have had everything their whole life. They feel decent when their bank accounts grow... but here is the crux. what price will we pay to feel decent, to feel good about ourselves? will we sacrifice someone else's decency to feel better ourselves? Will we abuse others so that we feel more human?

What do you do to feel human? to feel decent? is there anything you do that could make harm someone else's decency?

Perhaps you take coffee at a coffee shop. Where is the coffee coming from? did the worker who picked the coffee recieve fair wages?

perhaps you buy clothes and dress smart. Who made the clothes? were they overworked underpaid, is their decency taken away from them so that you can feel better about yourself?

We need to focus on the price we will pay for decency.

that... is an incomplete thought, but i've been thinking it for a few days.

a quick story and i'm out.

there were some visitors at the house today, and as they were leaving, one of the ladies stopped to talk with me. She doesn't speak english, so my host was translating.

a little background first... I have realized that people here have not seen many men with long hair. Since it can be VERY annoying to be called "madame" when i walk down the street, i've decided to grow out my facial hair a bit more. So, i have not shaved in a while and i've got a little beard and moustache thing going. and my hair is just as long as always.... So, that's the background.

This woman stops to talk to me and she says "we have been praying for you. Also, i wanted to tell you that you look like Jesus. Every picture we have seen of him, every carving, you look like Jesus." and then she went on to say "i want to encourage you to live in a way that reflects how you look on the outside."

But, it was interesting. Apparently, I look like Jesus.

that's just kind of funny to me.