Broken Sidewalks

In my previous job I was overseeing projects where huge swaths of sidewalks were ripped out and replaced at considerable costs because they didn't meet the California code requirements.  Some of these sidewalks were only 1/4" steeper than they needed to be, some were just a couple inches too narrow, nevertheless they were all removed and replaced due to potential liability exposure. However, in my experience in Delhi, there are not many sidewalks that would meet the code requirements in California.  They are uneven, out of level, sometimes with large steps in the middle of them, so much so that if you aren't looking down when you are walking there is a great likelihood of tripping and falling.  

I don't believe that either of these extremes are correct, but it got me thinking.  I surmise that the California code came from people who saw problems and looked to others to solve the problem -  "write our legislators", "change the code", "make a law", "sue the city", etc.  It seems to be more an attitude of looking to others to solve the problem so that life can be easier, often times deemed "safer."  

In my short experience in Delhi, the attitude seems to be more accepting of the condition and looking to oneself to adapt - "I'll walk in the street", "watch where you are walking and you won't trip", "just step over the cracks", "uneven sidewalks are pretty low on our priority lists", etc.  

It appears that in California the goal is to have other people solve my problems and make life easy for me, while in Delhi the goal is to avoid the problem or accept that I will always have to deal with certain problems.    

Last night we went to our home group and were discussing James 1 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials because you know that trials produce perseverance which leads to maturity and completion.  By living in two different cultures I have seen two different ways to deal with problems (trials), but neither of these seem to be what James is suggesting we do as believers.  It seems like we are to face trials with joy because they bring us to a place of maturity and completeness. In our discussion at home group none of us listed "pure joy" as our first response when facing a trial, but we all recognized that those trials do teach us and bring us closer to God.  

So, the next time you walk on a sidewalk and see cracks or it is uneven, think of the other trials that you may be facing and pray for God's joy in the midst of them.  Those obstacles in life can be used to bring completeness to your life and draw you closer to God.