Donald Trump was a true bully to the most vulnerable when time and again pointed a finger at them and blamed them for the world's problems. He also cheated many of them too. That's what bullies do.
Yet, how do each of us treat the most vulnerable in our midst--do we ignore them, avoid them, humiliate and harrass them or do we do all we can to help them live well despite their tremendous vulnerability.
It is not easy to deal with the most vulnerable amongst us. Sometimes they smell. Sometimes they shout out rude and angry words and comments. They may trash a neighborhood, wear dirty tattered clothes, look different, beg and want to get close to us. Experiences with the most vulnerable may frighten us, disgust us, worry us and insult us. These experiences can be uncomfortable and difficult to endure.
Yet, to be amongst the most vulnerable and serve them is a chance to truly challenge the best of who we can be. There is a definite grace that comes when we surrender ourselves to the most vulnerable amongst us to serve their needs and desires.
To fulfill this call, it's good to step back and imagine what it must be like to be helpless in significant ways--to rely on almost every need from others, and to have to accept what we are given rather than do for ourselves. It's important to put ourselves in the shoes of the most vulnerable and think about how we can make their experience of life as humane and loving as possible
We need to recognize the many reasons why people are so vulnerable. It may be age, physical disabilities, mental illness and environmental or social issues that bring people to that point. No one ever asks or desires to be greatly vulnerable, but instead it is the result of circumstances out of one's control that take them there.
Today I had an experience that brought this to mind. As I worked with a most vulnerable individual in a humbling situation, I was able to do my work with peace, love and kindness. It has taken me a while to get to the place where I could do this work with such calm, and I was happy that I finally arrived there. Why did it take so long?
There are lots of reasons why this took a long time. First, it was difficult to understand what was going on--I wanted to fix things and make them better. Then there was a frustration that I was put in that challenging role--why me? After that there was dealing with the difficulty of the details--details that in someways were quite unpleasant and unfamiliar, and now finally, there is a good dose of empathy which truly helps to do the work with love and grace.
The most vulnerable in our midst work on our humanity--they challenge us to be our best selves and to see what truly is valuable and what's not. They help us to see the world with greater grace, love, humanity and justice. These are great gifts.
As I write this, I want to find ways to help the vulnerable more and gain the grace that comes with that as that helps to make life worth living. Onward.