A Changed Perspective

Buildings at a Distance

At our hotel, which is inside a gated community with guards 24 hours/day, you feel completely safe, and in being surrounded by such modern and plentiful amenities, you could be anywhere in the world. Yet down the road beyond the ultra-rich homes of Expats, extreme poverty exists just outside the gates. Earlier this week, I wandered to the 3rd level of the main building of the hotel to see their library, billiards room and business center. As I happened to look out the etched picture window, first I saw the beautiful view of the hotel in the forefront, and then I noticed some buildings off in the distance, so I snapped a photo. Later, as I reflected upon that moment, I realized that it's a great analogy of how easy it is to feel insulated while on the immaculately maintained hotel grounds because you feel far removed from the "outside world"... yet, once noticed, the extreme contrast is unmistakably striking.  Along the roads to the office, you will see people's homes made of crude coverings in the midst of rubble. There are piles of dirt and bricks in random places, and the roads are dirty with many sections in disrepair.  Wild dogs and other animals roam freely. When you finally allow yourself to realize it, you feel sad as you gaze upon such destitute conditions, and you gain a sense of compassion for the people who have lived such a hard life with so little.  During our drive to the office, I thought about how we have all grown tired of the hotel food here, yet any one person we witnessed on the road that day, probably would have been so grateful for even a few bites of the meals we have had. I felt incredibly humbled.

Since then, as I look out the window on the drive to work, I say a quick prayer for each person I see, that the Lord would bless them in some way, far greater than I could imagine, and that He would always give me the right perspective in view of my circumstances.