Human Nature...

"Human Nature" - Man what a song! MJ really out did himself with that one didn't he!?! It's still to this day one of my all-time favorite songs. Whenever I hear it, my eyes automatically close and my lips begin to whisper "why, why..." Everyone does that right???

So what is this "human nature" thing the King of Pop was singing about? Well, Webster has an answer, and no I'm not talking about the little person of a child star he used to parade around Neverland Ranch! The dictionary "Webster," defines it as "the nature of; the fundamental dispositions and traits of humans."

For me growing up, I was always under the impression that people meant well, and to give them the benefit of the doubt because well...that's what I would want. You know, the golden rule: (in a dragging monotone) "Treat others like you want to be treated." While I still try and live by this, I now take into account that others just don't believe what I believe. That's cool - but the problem is that the 24k (Korean) golden rule I carry on my person sometimes turns me green.

How green you ask? Well believe it or not folks, there was a time in my life where I was nearly kidnapped as a child. How...you wonder??? Shocker! - I was led astray and enticed with a chocolate chip cookie of the finest caliber! I remember it being quite delicious! There was another time though, when I was much older, I won't say how much older, that I agreed to sell my first house to a rather shady individual. I ended up loosing nearly $40k (thousand)! And yes...it still hurts down there!

Well friends, times have changed and ole' Tron won't be taken out to the shed with the ole cookie trick anymore! You see, life had a way, as you may have noted, of showing me human nature in the raw! I began to doubt and distrust nearly everyone. Cynical would be the most appropriate term. I did a total 180. No more trusting, and definitely no more cookies! I held on to the scripture that says "The heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it..." And I simply didn't trust people at all. To me, they were as predictable as a Scooby Doo episode - The mask was always sure to be pulled off in the end!

I mean "how could I trust people God?," I would ask. "People will lie, steal and cheat all the while looking you in your face. I want no parts of it, I said. How could I ever show love to people who see fit to hurt me?" Then I looked at the "man in the mirror" and saw how that statement rang so true! Had I not once lied, cheated, or stole, and yet, I still had the opportunity coupled with the nerve to complain about how others treated me!?! I was truly shown grace - for I needed it.

What I eventually learned was that human nature, in all of its despicable ways could in fact produce good and be used by God. This because, it was from that same imperfect nature that he sent nothing short of actual Angels into my life to help me in my times of need. He also used it as a mirror to show me that the very person I was complaining about was none other than myself...steady singing "If this town is just an apple, let me take a bite!" All the while God closed his eyes and whispered "why...why..."