Low Expectations

As I have been out and about recently I have been surprised to find out just HOW low the expectations of the world really are. I knew that it was getting bad, but I didn’t realize just How bad.

A few months ago, my mom and I went into town to get groceries and things we needed. Well I was starting to not feel well, and my back was really hurting me, so I just wanted to hurry and get out of the store.

Well we were finished, we thought we were anyways, but then my mom remembered a couple more things we needed to get, so I asked her if I could go up and get in line. She said I could, so I did.

At our grocery store we have self-checkouts, so I went to one of those, because they seem to go faster. Anyways, I was watching the lady in front of me. She had a lot of stuff(I can’t say anything else, b/c we had more! :P)

Well she wasn’t putting it in bags as she went, she was just ringing it all up, but it was backing up, so stuff was staying on the roller, and making it so she couldn’t ring stuff up.

So I went up to her and asked if I could bag her stuff for her. She was so shocked, she just stood there looking at me. Then she said “well, ah, you can… but, you don’t have to.” I said “Oh no, its ok, I’ll help you!” So I bagged her stuff for her. She would not stop saying things like “you’re wonderful” and such. And she wouldn’t stop thanking me, she couldn’t comprehend why I WANTED to help her.

I didn’t see how what I did was so great. I was just helping someone who needed help. Since I didn’t have a tract with me at the time, I started praying that the Lord would allow me to see her again, so I could give her one.

The following week we were in the store again, and I saw her, a couple lanes over. I got a tract from my dad and gave it to her. She was very receptive of it. I didn’t help her though b/c we only had a couple things, it was late, and I knew my dad wanted to get home.

Well we had a problem, and he had to go to the customer service desk. It was the perfect opportunity. I went over there and helped her again. She kept insisting that she had to pay me for helping her. Well I refused it. I was just helping someone as Jesus would have done.

As I was finishing up one of the workers came over to help her with something, and as she left she thanked me.

What was I doing differently than anyone else? I didn’t see it then, but I realize now. It didn’t happen often that a girl just went up to someone and offered to help them. Why not? Most of the kids I see in the store are messing around, acting dumb, talking on their cellphones.

Parents think that kids my age should have no work all play. Kids don’t WANT to work. That is b/c their parents don’t MAKE them work.

I like to work. It makes it so I don’t get bored. Sometimes I have more fun when I am working than I do when I am just sitting around. I’ll admit, I don’t ALWAYS WANT to work, sometimes I don’t do it with the right heart. But I don’t detest work, like most kids.

My dad is a teacher, and in his school, the kids have to get a 70, to pass a quiz or a test, and to be allowed to go on field trips, and do certain things. Think about it, a 70. I am not kidding you!

To pass one of my tests I have to get at least an 90, without having to do a lot of extra studying! My parents(not to mention me) would be sick if I got just a 70! Even if my mom let me pass with a 70, I’d be so ashamed!

What are these kids doing in school? A few years ago my dad had me and my siblings do some of the questions on the MEAP tests. Just to see what we could do, he had us try some questions from a few grades ahead of us. I was in 5^th grade at the time and I was able to easily do the 7^th grade math, so could my siblings who were in 4^th grade.

What is up? Why are those kids so dumb? I mean, why can 4^th grade homeschoolers do the 7^th grade MATH MEAP test? We have just lost all common sense anymore!

Lets help raise these expectations. I have heard a lot about the Harris boys book

“Do Hard Things.” I would love to get my hands on a copy of it, but at the moment, that probably won’t happen. But I can Do Hard Things myself.

Who will join me? Lets work together and do this. If you see someone who could use the help, HELP. If you have chores you are expected to do, Do Them, then ask what else you can do! When you are out in public, Hold the door open for the people behind you. Let elderly people go before you(boys let girls go first!).

If you are asked to do something, do it cheerfully, with a smile. Do it heartily, do it quickly, and to the best of your ability.

If you have any other suggestions about Hard things we can do to show others that Christians don’t have the low expectations of the world, please leave a comment, also please share what Hard thing you did, and what were the reactions of others.