Scripture: Isaiah 58:6-7
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Thought for the Day: I was reading an article on NBC’s website entitled, Best Behavior: 6 Travel Etiquette Rules.
The first question asked in the article:
What do you do when there is a shared armrest on your flight?
The answer:
Airplane etiquette says that the middle-seat passenger has rights to both inner armrests. If you think about it, it makes sense – aisle and window passengers are guaranteed at least one armrest.
I have watched a battle of elbows occur just across the aisle, and it wasn’t just a good-natured game of one-upmanship. Boney elbows can leave a bruise. We are territorial creatures, protecting our stuff based in a sense of scarcity. But when we are traveling, we often find ourselves in unmarked territory, and the first reaction is to drive a stake in the ground as a way of claiming ownership. The armrest on the airplane, though a silly example, gives us the opportunity to choose an alternative way, the way of humble and respectful distribution. Ultimately, everything belongs to God, yet it is God who chose to show humble and respectful distribution for the sake of all of God’s creatures. We are the ones who tend to muck it up because of our territorial tendencies.
Prayer: As a traveler in your marvelous world, O Lord, may I recognize your willingness to share…a willingness that, by faith, must become an attribute seen within me. Amen.
