Juxtaposed- Two Worlds. One Reality.

As you all know, I currently work in one of the fanciest areas of Atlanta. Yes, Usher and I are in same zip code (well at least during business hours). TI recently purchased a second home in my “work” neighborhood just so he could avoid traffic. Must be nice. In my own futile attempt to beat the morning rush, every day I leave for  work two hours early. I then spend my extra hour sitting outside my classy high rise drinking cheap café coffee and reading my Bible.  Fancy business person after fancy business person rushes past without even glancing in my direction. It is a culture that thrives on productivity, professionalism and above all profit. During lunch breaks you can wine n’ dine in some of the nicest restaurants, take a two block stroll to splurge at Tiffany’s, get your car detailed, or trade your car in for a new Jaguar. Options only limited by your credit.  In this neighborhood I am at the bottom of the totem pole.

(TI's second Atlanta home)

At the end of the day I get in my dented up car and drive the 13 miles home (which takes about an hour because I am not TI).  My actual neighborhood is just outside the perimeter of the Atlanta city limits. The fanciest shop around is a bright shiny IHop that will meet your pancake needs 24/7. People flood the street outside of my house walking to buses, jobs, and stores. If you listen you can hear countless accents, languages and profanities. Trash piles up on the ground around my mailbox: empty food containers, liquor bottles and shards of glass. There are people from every nation and culture; some because they chose to be and some because this is where they sought refuge after fleeing their home country. In comparison to those around me, my home is actually quite huge. We have 3 bedrooms, two living rooms, 2 refrigerators/ovens and a fancy dining room. There are 4 working cars parked all over the yard in any way they can fit. In our neighborhood we live like kings.

 

(Picture from Times Article on my city- Liberian Church Service)

So my day, like Drake’s life, starts from the bottom and ends at the top. In under an hour I go from two polar extremes. (If I take the train, I go from classy to hood in under 5 minutes. I love me some Marta- fo real). Perspective changes everything, and surroundings drastically change perspective. It’s like walking into a designer clothing shop and flipping out because you found an item on sale for $20, verses walking into TJMaxx and flipping out because they had to nerve to try to sell you the same item for  $20! Surroundings define perspective. It is because of this that I am so thankful that God has placed me juxtaposed between two starkly different worlds. I can never become too confident with my riches, when every day I am reminded of how poor I really am. I can never wallow in my lowliness, when every day I am humbled by my wealth. So it is with my walk with God, juxtaposed between two truths a sinner with nothing to give, and an heir with the riches of a King.

 "Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.  But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower". (James 1:9-10)

In Conclusion: I still haven’t met Usher, and unfortunately for everyone, Michael Jordan, doesn’t live in Atlanta. The last part is for Reid because he asked me to put Michael Jordan in my blog, and it is sad that MJ doesn’t live in the Atl.