“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
~ Anne Frank
More and more it’s growing increasingly difficult for me to turn on the stomach-churning news. Yesterday, was a bad day. More senseless murders soaked every channel and permeated every corner of social media. The graphic video, recorded and posted by the killer in the act, created a feeding frenzy among every soulless rubber-necker out there. I couldn’t tell which I was more disgusted with.
Even in light of seeing humans at their worst, I refuse, REFUSE, for them to make me believe that all people are bad. A lot of bad apples give humanity a very bad name. But if we give in and accept the world’s view of man, then we let Satan win. And lately, he seems to be winning a lot.
Someone in my life this week found out they were quite possibly betrayed by a friend in a truly unthinkable manner. And although I believe they handled it better than I could even think about doing, there were a few words that saddened me deeply. They arrived at the summation that all people would choose to react in this manner given the chance and that this is the root of human nature.
I don’t believe that. I believe people are inherently good. Yes, somewhere along the way many people will go astray. But for every person that will make the wrong choice, I’ll show you another who would have made the right choice. There are amazing hearts out there and we can’t stop seeing them. We can’t begin to solely focus on the evil because then, that’s all we see. If you change your perception, you’d be surprised at how much good is out there.
If you are on social media, I have a challenge for you. Go to your timeline and scroll through and instead of seeing the abhorrent, search diligently for the positive. MAKE yourself see the good. I did it, and this is what I found.
- A wife posted a photo of her husband who noticed a homeless man outside a convenience store so he took him inside and told him to pick out whatever he wanted and he would buy it for him. The man got milk, some cheese, and a pear sparkling water. The husband kept asking what else he wanted but the homeless man insisted, that it was all he needed.
- I saw a video of a blind boy around 10 years of age. His teacher handed him a guitar and led him to the front of the class. The boy went on to sing “the blues”. It was amazing. And beautiful.
- I watched a video of Johnny Depp dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow taking a break from filming the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie to surprise children in the hospital who were all moved to tears with appreciation.
- And then I saw this video of a dad and his 4-year-old daughter, innocently singing along together in one of the most adorable and hilarious things I’ve seen. Here it is in case you need a little happiness as well. Thanks for sharing it, Sean.
Don’t forget. Don’t ever forget, the world is such a beautiful place. And each day we are given is nothing short of a gift. You can bless people, you can give back better than you are given and you can be a light in what is sometimes a very dark place.
There really are people who will make the right choice. There are people who won’t betray you. There are even people who would go to their deaths protecting you. This is one of my all-time favorite photos. I literally cannot look at it without crying. But it shows real humanity. I don’t know the story but I think the photo tells it all as this man gives away his shoes to a young woman who obviously has nothing.
You see, that’s who I am choosing to believe people are. That’s who I am choosing to believe they are at their very core.
Don’t allow the evil in this world to overcome all that is good. Shine on. Glow from the inside out with all the good that lives in you and let your light shine before men. God is still victorious even when we don’t feel like he is.
And if Anne Frank can still believe in the good in people, then I believe it’s our duty and honor to carry that torch.