I’ve heard this thought quoted quite often in many circles:”Tell me who your friends are, i’ll tell tell you who you are.” It’s true, the people we associate with can influence on us, but i wonder how much can really effect our core values and character... If we associate with people of questionable behavior, does that necessarily mean our behavior and character will be corrupted?
A good friend of mine, someone i’ve known for years has made some bad decisions recently in the midst of hard struggles and setbacks. I have to admit, with much of his reactionary behavior he’s dug himself a muddy hole and come under very harsh judgement by others. I suspect his new circle of friends has influenced some his ill-advised decisions, but does this mean i should no longer associate with someone of such report? And if i still consider him a friend, will others judge me by my association with him?
If the saying “Tell me who your friends are, i’ll tell you who you are” holds true, what are we to think of Jesus? And can we find any scripture to back-up this point of judgement? Sure, there’s sayings in Proverbs that shares some thoughts keeping good company and character, but exactly who did Jesus associate with? His association with questionable individuals resulted in many calling him ‘A friend of sinners’. Is this what he really was? When we look at His life, it would seem so...
Self-righteous people judge others by association. Jesus was judged this way. In scripture we see that the pharisees, who considered themselves better than others and would not associate with sinners. Jesus however saw the need, that it’s the sick need a physician, not those who consider themselves well. He was always a friend to those who acknowledged their sorry state, be they prostitutes or tax collectors, the sinners of the day.
No one is perfectly well, regardless of how highly we may think of others or ourselves. We’re all sinners, none better than another in the eyes of God. So let’s stop judging people guilty by association, and let us be like Christ, a true friend to friends in need...
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Another small injustice resolved
It’s not often i post a complaint here about the society we live in, but today’s small victory is worthy of a comment or two...
For the past couple of years Lindorff, an Estonian collection agency has been after me for a debt i paid long ago. The problem started when Stockmann, a department store sent my credit card bill to the wrong address. Though i asked them to send bills to my e-mail, they stated that they could only send bills to my postal address. So much for our widely propagated ‘e-Estonia’...
So with my bills going to the wrong address (unknown to me at the time), i became a delinquent client. Of course as soon as i discovered the problem, i visited Stockmann’s customer service team and cleared things up. I paid the bill, my address was corrected, and Stockmann agreed to not charge me any late fees or interest.
Except they failed to keep their promise. The interest charged remained on their books, and without any notice they eventually forwarded the interest debt to this collection agency. Over the past year i’ve responded countless times to the agency stating that should check their records since i have no debt owning to Stockmann. The agency never replied, but just kept sending me threatening letters.
Visiting Stockmann did not produce results either. My initial complaints to them were also ignored. Finally this week, a heated discussion i had with with client services led to the company’s accountant to look at the situation more seriously. The result of which was a phone call from them just an hour ago where with an apology they have reversed the charges and cancelled the debt. Hurraaah!
But this was not the first encounter i’ve had with Estonian institutions trying to collect what they are not entitled to. Especially recently it seems the taxman, banks, building management companies, among many other enterprises are placing undue and unjust pressure on citizens without any consideration for what’s true and right. There is little effort to resolve situations, the main effort is to enslave others with unreasonably high bills, late charges and exorbitant interest rates.
It’s tiring fighting injustice in this land. What does the simple person do? They that have no crafty lawyers to resort to, or lack the strength and will to fight for what’s just are often chewed up by the system. Many give in and pay what they should not pay. Others get crushed unjustly by snowballing debt.
So far i’ve fought and won two significant cases of injustice, but i’ve also fought and unjustly lost at least two more. What i’ve learned is that the system here is corrupt much more than i one dared to believe, and regardless of what image Estonians may portray, many are still fixated on consuming their own. There’s less regard for your neighbors’ wellbeing, than how one can benefit at his expense.
As far as i see it, we have the remnants slave mentality, with many having the goal of becoming a slave keeper rather than a slave. Regrettably, with this mentality engrained in much our society, and thus an Estonian’s favorite dish still remains the same... Is there any chance the menu will ever change?
Perhaps our next generation will learn to be truly free...
For the past couple of years Lindorff, an Estonian collection agency has been after me for a debt i paid long ago. The problem started when Stockmann, a department store sent my credit card bill to the wrong address. Though i asked them to send bills to my e-mail, they stated that they could only send bills to my postal address. So much for our widely propagated ‘e-Estonia’...
So with my bills going to the wrong address (unknown to me at the time), i became a delinquent client. Of course as soon as i discovered the problem, i visited Stockmann’s customer service team and cleared things up. I paid the bill, my address was corrected, and Stockmann agreed to not charge me any late fees or interest.
Except they failed to keep their promise. The interest charged remained on their books, and without any notice they eventually forwarded the interest debt to this collection agency. Over the past year i’ve responded countless times to the agency stating that should check their records since i have no debt owning to Stockmann. The agency never replied, but just kept sending me threatening letters.
Visiting Stockmann did not produce results either. My initial complaints to them were also ignored. Finally this week, a heated discussion i had with with client services led to the company’s accountant to look at the situation more seriously. The result of which was a phone call from them just an hour ago where with an apology they have reversed the charges and cancelled the debt. Hurraaah!
But this was not the first encounter i’ve had with Estonian institutions trying to collect what they are not entitled to. Especially recently it seems the taxman, banks, building management companies, among many other enterprises are placing undue and unjust pressure on citizens without any consideration for what’s true and right. There is little effort to resolve situations, the main effort is to enslave others with unreasonably high bills, late charges and exorbitant interest rates.
It’s tiring fighting injustice in this land. What does the simple person do? They that have no crafty lawyers to resort to, or lack the strength and will to fight for what’s just are often chewed up by the system. Many give in and pay what they should not pay. Others get crushed unjustly by snowballing debt.
So far i’ve fought and won two significant cases of injustice, but i’ve also fought and unjustly lost at least two more. What i’ve learned is that the system here is corrupt much more than i one dared to believe, and regardless of what image Estonians may portray, many are still fixated on consuming their own. There’s less regard for your neighbors’ wellbeing, than how one can benefit at his expense.
As far as i see it, we have the remnants slave mentality, with many having the goal of becoming a slave keeper rather than a slave. Regrettably, with this mentality engrained in much our society, and thus an Estonian’s favorite dish still remains the same... Is there any chance the menu will ever change?
Perhaps our next generation will learn to be truly free...
Thursday, May 3, 2012
"Don’t take it personally"
Over the past two weeks, this phrase has echoed through several discussions here in Estonia. As i’ve discussed business practices with many individuals and entrepreneurs, several have stated business is business and personal is personal, that business should never be taken personally. This morning Jevgeni, a building management representative whom i’ve had a dispute with, stated that business should never be taken personally, that to him business is all a big game to see who wins the most.
Interesting perspective from those who play this game,.. some win, some loose, as if it’s a lifelong poker game. But isn’t everything we do in life is personal? Isn’t how we behave a reflection of our values and who we actually are? And isn’t the object of this ‘game’ personal gain at another’s personal loss? What if others don’t like to play your games? What happens when you deceitfully take away what rightfully and personally belongs to another?
Life is personal no matter how you look at it, since God created us as personal not impersonal beings. When someone violates your personal space, be it physical, financial or emotional, it’s an ugly game regardless what you call it. Games like these are played by calloused hearts, people with no regard for community nor the interests of others. In acts of selfishness they endlessly try to fill a black hole in their soul, never satisfied and never filled.
The scripture teaches us that it’s better to give than to receive, yet so few actually know how to truly apply this principle to their lives. Visions of personal gain often skew our view of what is really important. And even when we give, our giving is rarely without the expectation of some personal return.
Yes, it’s all personal regardless what you may think. And how we behave is our personal message to others of who we are and what we believe.
Interesting perspective from those who play this game,.. some win, some loose, as if it’s a lifelong poker game. But isn’t everything we do in life is personal? Isn’t how we behave a reflection of our values and who we actually are? And isn’t the object of this ‘game’ personal gain at another’s personal loss? What if others don’t like to play your games? What happens when you deceitfully take away what rightfully and personally belongs to another?
Life is personal no matter how you look at it, since God created us as personal not impersonal beings. When someone violates your personal space, be it physical, financial or emotional, it’s an ugly game regardless what you call it. Games like these are played by calloused hearts, people with no regard for community nor the interests of others. In acts of selfishness they endlessly try to fill a black hole in their soul, never satisfied and never filled.
The scripture teaches us that it’s better to give than to receive, yet so few actually know how to truly apply this principle to their lives. Visions of personal gain often skew our view of what is really important. And even when we give, our giving is rarely without the expectation of some personal return.
Yes, it’s all personal regardless what you may think. And how we behave is our personal message to others of who we are and what we believe.
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