The two traveled home from a town on the coast, and they saw a young hitchhiker. They stopped, asked where he was going, and invited him into the car. They asked him who he knew in the town to which he was headed, and he told them. They recognized the last name, and mentioned the full name of someone they knew in that town by the same last name.
"That's my uncle," the young man said, adding, "Don't ever trust him."
It turned out to be true, the hitch hiker's assessment. He did not know, however, that the couple that had given him a ride were in a business agreement with the uncle or that the uncle would later turn his back on promises made to ones he had called friends.
We cannot always know the true character of associates, business or otherwise. Often, we learn the hard way. Yet, we learn. The hardness helps us, however, in different ways. They even say it makes us stronger. At the time, we may not wish to be stronger, but free of betrayal.
The end of the story was that the ones that were misled did fine and walked away without rancor, wiser and better for it, in the long run. They remained true to themselves through many changes. There was forgiveness, eventually, in the woman's heart. Her husband never held grudges, but did get a business separation.The couple never wanted to hinder a possible turnaround within the heart of the former associate, although they moved on.
My parents, good neighbors on the road, are in heaven now. Times have changed, and hitchhiking is, in many places, illegal. "It's more dangerous these days," people say. I think that all times have their own kinds of dangers. I am thankful that's not the end of the story. At least, that's what I think.
My News & Views
Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Saturday, June 07, 2014
Friday, June 07, 2013
Prism Program Warning: "Trust few, be vigilant over all"
"Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." -William Shakespeare
Commentary
I was surprised when President Obama said recently that if the American people cannot trust him, the congress, and the National Security Agency (all under special scrutiny these days), "well, then, we've got a problem."
Yes, then we've got a problem, 'cause many of us reserve and guard where we put our trust. You know, it's true that sometimes I don't even trust myself... as in times of hasty decisions, words, or ...well, like that time that I signed up to sell cosmetics "in my spare time." We are not robots, nor are we genetically programmed. We are continually learning, developing, and changing.
The same attitude about trust applies in this instance for me, about government, whether local or state, and whether a president, congress, or judiciary.
I often drive by the edge of the National Security Agency's (NSA) monstrous Maryland facility that works with a focused mission to protect the nation against their enemies. Police presence with flashing lights and lowered speed limit are among the norms. What one knows about the huge compound above (and below) ground along Maryland's route 32 can be impressive. And the work done within those buildings and beneath/near the giant satellite bowls has a good reputation, overall.
The fact that we cannot know as much as before about what the heck is going on is likely due to, I think, the fact that some national enemies are nearby, right here among us, even citizens. However, some of us do not want any president, congress, and/or NSA to plan and manage secret details of national security as "doing what is best for us." We want to know something...wanting to know is still part of our national character.
Finding out about government spying on members of the press, through the Department of Justice and the FBI, and its hiding of the existence of a deep-data-mining program called Prism, Americans immediately felt the chill of invasions of privacy.
We don't need to "throw the baby out with the bath water." This is where I am now, that citizens continue to be able to speak and write about concerns. We don't yet have a loss of free speech guarantees, but clearly they must be guarded aggressively.
Source of opening quotes: BrainyQuote.comCommentary
I was surprised when President Obama said recently that if the American people cannot trust him, the congress, and the National Security Agency (all under special scrutiny these days), "well, then, we've got a problem."
Yes, then we've got a problem, 'cause many of us reserve and guard where we put our trust. You know, it's true that sometimes I don't even trust myself... as in times of hasty decisions, words, or ...well, like that time that I signed up to sell cosmetics "in my spare time." We are not robots, nor are we genetically programmed. We are continually learning, developing, and changing.
The same attitude about trust applies in this instance for me, about government, whether local or state, and whether a president, congress, or judiciary.
I often drive by the edge of the National Security Agency's (NSA) monstrous Maryland facility that works with a focused mission to protect the nation against their enemies. Police presence with flashing lights and lowered speed limit are among the norms. What one knows about the huge compound above (and below) ground along Maryland's route 32 can be impressive. And the work done within those buildings and beneath/near the giant satellite bowls has a good reputation, overall.
The fact that we cannot know as much as before about what the heck is going on is likely due to, I think, the fact that some national enemies are nearby, right here among us, even citizens. However, some of us do not want any president, congress, and/or NSA to plan and manage secret details of national security as "doing what is best for us." We want to know something...wanting to know is still part of our national character.
Finding out about government spying on members of the press, through the Department of Justice and the FBI, and its hiding of the existence of a deep-data-mining program called Prism, Americans immediately felt the chill of invasions of privacy.
We don't need to "throw the baby out with the bath water." This is where I am now, that citizens continue to be able to speak and write about concerns. We don't yet have a loss of free speech guarantees, but clearly they must be guarded aggressively.
Copyright (c) 2013 Opinari Writers.
Monday, January 03, 2011
2011 - A Future and a Hope-Jeremiah and the New Year
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD,
thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope"
(Jeremiah 29:12-NKJV).
This is assurance for the believer for any time, day, or year. It is one of Jeremiah's prophetic utterances. These are words for every Christian, for we are children of God, whether Gentile or Jew, down through every generation since Christ walked physically among people and an empire's powerful government. In Jeremiah's day, the people of God had gone astray, ignoring God for other gods. Yet, God's promise was that His thoughts toward His people are always for their good, their peace, their future, and their eternal hope. That's why, generations later, a follower of Christ, wrote this to the Christians living in Rome:
"And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us"
(Romans 5:5-NIV-italics added).
God knows the future, and in time Christ came and later sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to guide, teach, help, and comfort. In Jeremiah's day, the people were in exile in Babylon. The prophet wrote: The "LORD of hosts, the God of Israel" told "all who were carried away captive...from Jerusalem to Babylon," to settle there, build themselves houses, work their gardens for their food; to marry, have children and grandchildren so "that you may be increased there, and not diminished" (see Jeremiah 29: 12ff).
"...And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace." All of that was not the hope, but part of its revealing.
And it happens as God says.
During seventy years in exile, the people did "the final editing of the Pentateuch, of the deuteronomistic work of history (the Books of Samuel and Kings), of many of the prophetic books and also in the composition of new literature (such as the Chronistic works of history, i.e., Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles) that reflects the concerns of the returnees from Babylone [sic]...."
As writers, doesn't this cause us to pause, to reflect? We are pilgrims on the earth. Our Home is in heaven, with God. That plan is our hope, as Christ is the Person of our hope. Yet, wherever we are, He tells us to go into everyday life with hope. We are to settle, arrange our homes, have families. In the midst of the most difficult circumstances, even a form of slavery, the "lowest of the low," God's people accomplish special works if they remain faithful to God and rely upon Him. In every circumstance, we today, as children of God in Christ, have hope in the Lord.
This reality is for us in this New Year 2011, every day.
As writers, doesn't this cause us to pause, to reflect? We are pilgrims on the earth. Our Home is in heaven, with God. That plan is our hope, as Christ is the Person of our hope. Yet, wherever we are, He tells us to go into everyday life with hope. We are to settle, arrange our homes, have families. In the midst of the most difficult circumstances, even a form of slavery, the "lowest of the low," God's people accomplish special works if they remain faithful to God and rely upon Him. In every circumstance, we today, as children of God in Christ, have hope in the Lord.
This reality is for us in this New Year 2011, every day.
Whatever our plans, for example, for writing, editing, or publishing this year (and we do have, make, and put plans into action, surely!), whatever our hopes for the future--spiritually, personally and professionally--, we have an eternal, many-faceted hope. God puts desires and ideas in us and works them out for our enjoyment, joy, and good, for our future alone and in the community of believers in fellowship.
What a way of faith in which to face this new year in Christ!
What a way of faith in which to face this new year in Christ!
Bible abbreviation notes:
KJV - King James Version of the Bible
NKJV - New King James Version of the Bible
NIV - New International Version of the Bible
Bible quote source from Jeremiah is the NKJV.
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