"Crossing Over"

A film on immigration into America, personal and family decisions in life, and the lessons learnt along the way. Starring Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta, and Jim Sturgess amongst other names in the industry.

The movie depicts the somewhat intertwined stories of eight sets of characters. It got me pondering over the lengths people will go to, to attain an opportunity they have set their hearts on. The extent people can be driven when cornered and desperate for a change to their current circumstances. In five of the stories, compromising choices were made. Lies were told, false identities were portrayed and loyalties were broken. 

As the viewer, I got to witness the consequences, those that actualised and those that could have happened. Seven lost their lives, two were imprisoned, two were forcibly removed and another strongly persuaded to choose voluntary departure. A marriage fell apart, a family was painfully separated, and another had to confront their personal beliefs when his younger brother killed their sister in the name of family honour. Then there was one who got away with his misdemeanour on the back of someone else's good will and another who was given a second chance to get things right because his initial choice was the result of misguidance and a struggle for acceptance and recognition.  

I asked myself what I would do if I were in their shoes. At times it's so easy to judge and say, "I would never do that!" because all we see are their actions in the here and now. We don't know the experiences they've had, their background, or the full picture behind the reasons for their behaviour. 

Some people don't have as many options. Often it's because they were born into poverty and its associated adversities, to no fault of their own. Not every situation one finds themselves in could have been prevented by that person, such as child abuse. Yes, we have free will. Yes, we can exercise self control and at least determine our response. Yes, the common saying is "there is always a choice". But perhaps for some people, they can only choose the lesser of two evils because nothing else is available at the time, at least not to their knowledge. What then? 

I can easily advise that one will not encounter trouble if one stays out of it, but what if trouble came knocking at your door and you were forced to make a decision? What if the imminent threat was far greater than any option you could consider to overcome it and it was a matter of life and death? What if no one answered your cry for help?

Perhaps before giving an answer, we who have options can ask ourselves this, "What can I do to increase someone else's chances in life? What can I do to give someone a fair go?" 

I questioned God because the Bible says He chooses the time and place for us to be born. I questioned Him because He could have given me to a negligent mother and a father steeped in debt who deemed my only potential was to be a prostitute so I could pay for his drug, alcohol and gambling addictions. Or He could have placed me in a poor village ravaged by rebel armies who decided I would make the perfect sex slave. But although He didn't, He let this become a reality for others (possibly even someone living in my neighbourhood). And that scares me. It scares me because I have no control over this. 

Still, the Bible also says the intention of God's selection is so we may find and know Him. And despite this not making a whole lot of sense to me right now, it's there in black and white. The other thing is, the onus is not only on the individual to find Him out. If I, who is already aware, does not point that person to God so they have a chance to know Him for themselves, I may just as well be the negligent mother. 

So I think, "How can I make a difference so people can cross over from the darkness they have found themselves in into the light God has in store for them?" The truth is, it's not always difficult because more people are standing at the border than we stop to realise. They're standing there contemplating and waiting for someone to come along and extend a hand. If we helped them cross over to a place of hope, that would be real love in action.