From Open Hearts to Closed Doors: What Changed

I read the prompt and my mind flash back to my childhood days, when I witnessed a lot of people helping strangers and things were quite beautiful back then. People had less fear in being kind to people they knew nothing about, people actually enjoyed being of help, my dad was one of them.

I remember a family that assisted my dad to take care of my siblings and I when he had to go to work and children are not allowed to be inside his work place. Anyone could have mistreated my siblings and I but I can still remember how loving the family was to us, they even bought us gifts.

Maybe they had hidden motives why they were so kind but I'll always remember them in a positive light, a family I didn't know took care of me and that says a lot about how beautiful the world was back then. Nowadays, it's a different case and being kind comes with more cost than needed.

I was in a meeting two weeks ago, a matter was brought up about a visiting stranger who is in need of a place to stay for a month while he goes about an assignment in the community. It was so disheartening to watch every single person say "Not my place" with all kinds of excuses to use.

Most of the excuse given was from past experiences that didn't go well, having to repeat the experience if this was going to be a case like it, was what most of them didn't want again. The culture of helping strangers is slowly fading but I believe it's not a culture to wipe away completely.

We can only keep talking and encouraging people to be more kinder because the evil is indeed growing but love should never have to give way for evil to triumph. And so I'll say it's a culture that we can bring back to live but it totally depends on the people who wants to keep it up.

I know there are people who are still welcoming to strangers because of what they believe in and some who can't even help but be of help, there is always a reward for being kind to whoever but the Bible reminds us to be wise as serpent, harmless as doves and it is for our own safety.

The culture to help strangers won't perish completely, that's actually not possible. People just need to be wiser and more harmless to be of help to strangers who genuinely are in need of our help. Evil will not end when we stop helping, it's in our own favour to help strangers anyways.