Red Alert

So I woke up this morning with an anger at every pharmaceutical company, scientist, and sponsor involved with finding the cure for diseases. Why is it that technology has increased so much, and yet we still have no cure or better treatment for so many things such as Multiple Sclerosis, mental illnesses, AIDS, and cancer? What's taking them so long! Why aren't the companies pouring the bulk of their money into solving these problems? I saw on the news once a while ago how this guy thought he found the cure for cancer in a common drug used back-in-the-day. Except that it was so cheap that he couldn't get any companies to fund him in researching it some more, because they wouldn't get any of it themselves. And apparently there are lots of other very similar stories. Man, do they know there are people dying out there? Do they see the pain and the hurt and the frustrations? And what's up with this new nanotechnology? Apparently it's supposed to be great and wonderful and cure everything no problem. But I have yet to see it in effect. They say they already found ways to cure so many things. And yet what do they come out with? Pants that are impossible to stain and windows that don't need cleaning. Now I don't know about you but I would rather wash windows every single day for the rest of my life and know what used to be incurable was now curable than to have people suffering and not having to worry about my windows being dirty. Hello, priorities anybody?

But I know that's not right. There are people working hard around the clock, and solving something deemed unsolvable isn't nearly as easy as it sounds. And you can't really blame the big corporations either; it's only common sense to pump money into something that was going to generate money back. Pump millions of dollars on something that will probably cost $3 a bottle and be able to be duplicated by every other company there is, doesn't seem like the smartest business move. And even when they do find cures, things take time. Tests have to be done, and the approval process before it even goes out on the market takes years to complete. Which is sensible, I mean you wouldn't want just anything going on the market. But at the same time you look at the people suffering and part of you is angry at that system too.

Anger can be an excellent cover for a lot of emotions. After all, it's a lot easier to be angry than to admit you're frustrated, hurt, or scared. It's true that it's a lot easier to be blaming and pointing the fingers at someone else than to get up and do something about it yourself. When I think of all the times I've ever been actually "angry" at someone, I wasn't angry with them personally. Instead I was only in fact hurt by them. But instead of talking it out and explaining that it was hurtful it was much easier to be angry and storm away. When really what does that end up with? Instead of a strengthened relationship you end up with a fortified wall. Not my friendship of choice. Jesus said we shouldn't be angry at each other. "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." Jesus wasn't fooled. He knows how damaging it can be. Yes, anger can be good and constructive in the proper place (he was angry at the vendors for turning the temple into a marketplace, where instead of giving God their best, they just bought it instead). But the kind of anger that is pointless and stupid and just ends up breaking people apart is extremely dangerous. How can you be called to love one another just as Jesus loves you when deep down inside you are fuming with someone else? It just doesn't work out. Jesus also said if we were bringing gifts to God and in the middle of it remember a grudge that we are holding or someone is holding against us, we should leave our gifts and immediately go and reconcile with that person and then our hearts will be totally free to give God his due praise.

As you can tell by my attitude when I woke up this morning, this is something I still need to work on a lot. And having patience and keeping a positive attitude is just one of the many things that I struggle with. Thankfully, I don't have to change myself by myself. It just doesn't work that way, and believe me, I've tried!