If I haven't the courage to change my behavior, how can I expect others to?

Question

As in The Serenity Prayer..... "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference" how can I expect from others what I cannot do myself?

Bono's question calls for EACH person to change their own personal behavior and thus consider what effect their actions have on others. I know that I have never had to do without. Therefore self-denial is called for in my case. However my parents did without as in the depression years and so practiced a kind of survival basic of "me first" and then they held back from excess.

Today all of us seem to be confused and have become obssessed with things, stuff and excess.

Other places in the world are so lacking that some have decided the only way to survive is to kill others. This is insanity gone beserk! In killing we are killing our own spirits. It matters not that I did not personally do the killing. I am guilty by the fact that I am ignoring injustice.

Answer 1

Well you have to ask your self something.... Have you EVER helped someone with anything that you did not think of how it would benefit you? I'm sure you have.... we all have at some point or another, I have and do all of the time.... I can think back to when I was a child, and remember many things I did to help others and did not gain anything myself, I'm still like that now. Anyhow, so my answer to your question is you have changed many times through out your life already so you CAN change if you so desire to. Now as far as expecting someone to change because you ask them to, Well you should not expect it.... yet you can ask for change from someone. It is ultimately up to them if they are willing to change, and up to you if you can deal with their answer. As for Bono's question, personally I think we should have already been helping Africa. As well as our own. We have many non profit organizations that if put together, could help them with everything and I mean everything. We have very intelligent people. As for Africa, they need good clean water so their land can be prosperous and for their selves, so they can be healthy instead of using diseased waters and thus getting sick. We have people that do pipe laying for a living and could run pipes underground there from good clean water to run through out the land and branch off so all the land and the people there can get fresh water and in time be able to make the land ready for crops, plants, and trees. We could send some volunteers with the ways and means to do such things as well as some to teach the Africans how to farm, build, renovate, fix things, and become health professionals. It would be a long process but eventually they would be self sufficent. Maybe your part is to talk to the right person that is willing to help out and not to do without your self, I dunno... yet we all do have a part to play in helping one another.... at least we should.

Answer 2

It's important to know about the insanity and injustice that rules the world. Women in some African countries are treated so horribly I can't even talk about it. But you aren't Bono. You don't have the time and money to fly around the world fighting this,so what can you do?
You help by talking about it, by appreciating what you have and recognizing the US is an exception to the rule and not the norm. Since it's unreasonable to expect you to change the whole world the best place to start is here at home. Join a soup kitchen, volunteer your time to charity and help out your community. Play the pay it forward game.
Then get involved in politics, write letters and vote for people who will help the world's cause. Also keep in mind the US is the largest supporter of charities and all of the UN's relief and food programs. That's your tax dollars at work. So get involved and do what you can.

Answer 3

Courage, consistent effort, faith, hope, and making the decisions. Those are the ingredients for changing our own lives. We must first have the courage to make the decision to be consistent in our efforts to be the people we demand others around us to be.

We must have faith that from our decisions to be courageous, we will affect change in ourselves and in those circumstances that must be changed. We cannot remain apathetic and neglecting---by saying, "someone else will do that; I'm just one person."

We must have hope that our efforts will transform us into the people we want to be------instead being stagnant as the people we hate being. We can transform ourselves and move forward to accomplish the deeds that will answer the prayers of others, strengthen faith in humanity's goodness, and bring hope to those who now despare.

We can do this---one person at the time----beginning with ourselves.

St. Francis of Assisi wrote the prayer you mentioned.

God, Give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Another version of that prayer goes like this:

God give us Grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things which should/must be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

Some things MUST be changed, even at the sacrifice of life, comfort, and convenience.

Effort to help another human being is never wasted;
A gift is something you give---never expecting anything in return.

Answer 4

I am not REAL SURE what your question is. I grew up getting pretty much what I wanted and my parents did well. BUT as my adult years went on, bad things happened, we have had to go without (oh and we aren't in another part of the world - us too in USA). My son has had to go without also and I feel bad as he didn't have the things I did growing up. Now, he has high expectations in his life - going to coast guard and all - is very smart and determined to do well. I foresee him having a great adulthood (where ours was not) and his children will do well. Life just happens and when you are faced with diversity, you either die or deal with it. Most people will deal with it - no matter how hard it is. BUT UNTIL A PERSON WALKS IN ANOTHER PERSON'S SHOES, THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE THEM. I think people who are quick to judge others should take heed to the advice in caps.

Answer 5

It's called the human condition!
In effect, one has to realize they are not the angel mom thought they were. We all are ingrained with our own selfishness and self-satisfying whims, usually at the cost of others.

Jesus is the only way to change what is wrong inside.

No matter how much we try to change ourselves, it really can't be done. It's always there............................

Answer 6

We must be the change we wish to see. But you don't worry about others, they will develop their own ways; you develop your own way, too, initially. Once you are able to transform your own self and follow your own conscience with courage, you will be surprised to see how the environment will actually respond to you, and your sphere of positive influence will gradually grow!

Answer 7

You're absolutely right, you can't.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." - Gandhi

Words to live by, in my estimation.

Answer 8

maybe whenever you change your attitude then maybe then we could change our attitude and then when we change ours then we would want you to change yours to so then we could get along just fine with each other so if we meet up some where then maybe we would know how to act with each other.

Answer 9

Bye starting with your self. Been there done that.

Answer 10

Ignore you.