So often we hear of awful things that human beings are doing around our country and around our world. Today I learned that a friend of mine, a youth minister, was beaten up very badly here in Abilene. Last Friday night he saw two girls on the side of the road with their hood up. When he pulled over to help, two men appeared- it was a set up. Thirty minutes later they were gone with his wallet and cell phone. Luckily they didn't take the right keys for his car, so he was able to get home. From what I understand he is bruised and cut up pretty good, but he is going to be ok- physically. He has an amazing wife and two very young daughters at his side, but I can't imagine what is going on in his mind. Then later today I was standing in the drink aisle at HEB, getting some things for church tonight. There was a family in front of me, and the little boy was holding onto the handles of the shopping cart with his feet resting on the cart as well (like we all did when we were kids). This was obviously slowing his mom down, and she yelled at him to get off. When he didn't, she decided that the best way to handle this situation was to hit his little fingers that were holding onto the handle bar. Not slap them- a balled-up fist hit. Then he let go and just held onto the back and sort of just slid with his bottom. Instead of stopping the cart to remove him, she also thought the best move was to kick him... and she proceeded to kick him all the way down the aisle as he yelled for her to stop, and he finally moved when they got to the end of the aisle. I was supposed to be deciding between Coke and Dr. Pepper, but the world suddenly slowed down and I couldn't move as I watched this whole scene.

All you have to do is turn on the news to know that humanity is messed up. And I have been in some very broken places since I've been in Abilene. But the people I have seen are crying out for help. A mother who hits her young son- not out of rage, but out of pure annoyance- and 4 people who sit at home and plan an attack on a helpless person are the kind of people that I forget I live with every day. The ones who are crying out for help are the people that my heart is turned most towards. God give me a heart of Christ-like compassion that is not only compelled to help those who can't help themselves, but also to those who do help themselves in the most vicious ways.