Off the wall

After the last week of the media blitz over Michael Jackson’s death I have a few observations to make and a story to tell. Many of us were shocked at this untimely death, especially in the wake of his comeback. In 1977 I was a musician who played with a band at the old Columbia lot in Hollywood and caught a glimpse of him one time at the canteen. He seemed to be a person who loved to laugh and have a great time. Many things have been said about him both good and bad but the only thing proven was his charity. Having not much of a childhood as a child, he reached out to others only desiring to bring joy to their lives. Many have said that he was “off the wall” but I say he was “on the mark.” The greatest message he relayed was in his lyrics for the song “Heal the World.”

The chorus is as follows:

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

What a message! We all have the power that God has given us to heal the world and make it a better place. Do you care enough for the living? Have you reached out and helped another person who is in need? If you have then God bless you for giving. If you haven’t, then try to help someone who is not where they want to be in their life. It’s not just about money. It’s about giving your time, sharing your talents and abilities, going the extra mile especially when you don’t feel like it. Jesus said that if someone shows up at your door in need and your reject them, you are rejecting him. Why would he say this? Because we are all connected through God. He has created us to be express His knowledge, wisdom and beauty. Christ said not to cover your light but to shine it forth unto the world. Give of yourself to others. That doesn’t mean that you allow others to use you, but you allow others to benefit from your experience and knowledge.

On the day of MJ’s funeral I was in Wilmington donating my time to a workshop that trains kids in television production during the summer. I left the workshop and turned onto 4th Street heading for 95. When I came to the light under 95 it was green and I proceeded into the left turn lane. The light changed and the rear of my car stuck out a little bit in the intersection. Coming towards me in the opposite left lane was a new red pickup with a guy waving his hands. As he passed me he shouted, “You’re a true nigger!” Sometimes I am ashamed to be white. Especially when someone uses derogatory and racial terms. I was raised to respect all races and people; whether they were like me or different from me. The African American community and the entire world just lost an iconic figure that gave so much of himself to help others and here is a guy broadcasting hate. The only thing I could do was to ask God to bless him.

We all might look and act differently than one another but the spirit of God is within each and every one of us. Recognizing that is the first step to attaining the Kingdom of Heaven. Respecting our differences and embracing the unity we have in our diversity is next. Finally, making the time to help someone in need is God in action. Blessings abound when we share the spirit of God with all. Find someone in need and go ahead; make their day!

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.