I was admittedly so disgruntled taking the bus this morning. And not the nice and shiny Culver City bus - no, the LA metro bus straight through and to the hood. Inglewood Courthouse, to be exact - so it wasn’t exactly luxurious.
But it just shows how ridiculously spoiled I am. Who am I to think that I’m above taking the bus, because I’m certainly not? Yeah, I grew up a certain way (let’s just say, money definitely wasn’t scarce), but that means nothing. As if I did anything special that allowed me to be born to a doctor - nope, it’s nothing I deserve. Nothing sets me apart from anyone else other than what God chose for my life.
Not that I waltzed onto that bus with my nose held high, as if I was one of those girls in a cliche “Rich girl loses all of her money and is suddenly thrust into poverty” movie role. No, certainly not. In fact, I would never initially think I had an attitude of implied superiority, but it’s so subtle as I sit on the bus, a little uncomfortable with shifty eyes, absolutely wishing there was any other means of transportation I could take other than the one I was forced to.
And of course naturally, I’m in a new environment I’m not used to - I’m gonna feel uncomfortable to an extent - but my recent forays on public buses have shown me just how spoiled I am without even realizing it. And it’s ridiculous - God had to put me in check real quick. Really, I should view everything as a blessing. At least there is public transportation for me to take! That in itself is more than I’m entitled to - that government provides a way for people without cars to get around the city!
And when I was on the bus, a woman confined to a wheelchair got on, and wow - how could I sit there, bitter and disgruntled? This woman is handicapped and by herself, having to take the public bus - might have to take every single day. Meanwhile, I can walk, had a friend with me, and have only had to take the bus three times in the three months I’ve been here. And won’t have to next week because I will be getting a car.
So it’s ridiculous and ungrateful of me to feel like I’m “better” than the bus. To be mad that I have to take the bus. God has blessed me so much, and goodness knows my contentment is not found from how I’m getting around. And I’m not better than the bus - the bus in itself is a blessing. Without the bus, where would I be? So in that sense, I am thankful for the opportunity to be able to take the bus.
I don’t. We get so caught up in our own little privileged world sometimes that when we’re in the slightest situation that is “below” what we’re used to, we suddenly get judgmental and feel all entitled, forgetting that everything we have is a gift from God to begin with. And that we are no better or no worse than anyone else - especially not because of our social/financial status!
Riding the public bus has been a huge eye-opener. I can’t help but be incredibly humbled by it. This car I’m getting next week - I just can’t take it for granted, because I know it’s a huge huge huge blessing and way more than most people have. When you experience the other end of the spectrum, even briefly, it gives you an entirely new perspective. I think we all just need to get out of our boxes sometimes, realize the world is not about us and what we have, and be aware of that other people on a daily basis have to deal with things that we could never dream of. Then stop complaining and stop actinglike we’re too good.
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
I Timothy 6:6-8
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