When
I start thinking about it, my day is filled with privileges. I woke up this
morning in my own home and was able to make myself a cup of coffee just the way
I like it. Then I had the privilege to spend some time praying and studying the
Bible. And since my joints, muscles, and ligaments still work, I was able to go
outside and run. Then I had a chance to feed my family a healthy breakfast, and
clean up after with readily available water. I have the privilege of eyesight,
a working brain, and functioning hands. And I have been blessed with the
ability to notice the value of these things.
When
we have had a privilege for a long time, it is no longer seen as a special right, but merely as something we
deserve. Also, when we live around other privileged people, we tend to forget
that not everyone in the world has these same opportunities. Take driving for
example—in some parts of the world, women are not allowed to drive. I have the
freedom to drive myself to wherever I need to go, without waiting on a male
relative to come along with me. Everyone that lives around me also has this
privilege, so it’s easy to take it for granted.
I
recently read an article about an 8 year-old child-bride in Yemen, who died
from internal injuries after intercourse with her 40 year old husband. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/10/us-yemen-childbride-idUSBRE98910N20130910
The
greatest privilege I have had in my life thus far has been the opportunity to
take care of my child. I was reminded of this when I read the above article.
How must the mother of that little girl feel—to not be able to protect her
child against this deplorable cultural practice? I’m sure that this mother had
very little power to prevent this from happening. We, in America, consider it a
basic human right to protect our young children from harm. Yet this is a
privilege that many parents do not have.
The
opportunity to make good choices is in itself a precious privilege; may we
never take it for granted.
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