Have you ever asked yourself how much of what you think, and how much of what you are, is a reaction to something else in your life? Someone who had a bad experience with a dog as a child, is to this day, afraid of dogs. Someone who lost a parent in a plane crash, can barely stand to board a flight.
Someone who was raised in a church that "didn't believe anything" [as they experienced it] spends the rest of their life looking for a church that believes all of the right things. While someone who grew up in a very strict religious environment, dominated by rules and judgement, becomes infatuated later in life with love and grace.
I would like to think that love and grace are good for everyone, but you can't force feed someone who has clenched teeth. You can lead a horse to water.......
What if we all just came to a place where we understood that we are all different, and it is ok. Not everyone is going to see it like I do, or like you do. That is ok. We can still play on the same team. We can still be brothers. We don't have to hurt one another because we see the world a little differently. What if, instead of what bothers us about someone else, God, and God's grace became the focus of our lives?
It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.
2 comments:
Jeff, as you know, we all come into this world as babies with some very basic needs. Love, holding, touching, smiles, and caring is one of them. We also come into this world, somewhat at the mercy of those who love us, in that we need our diapers changed, we need to be fed, we need to have someone dress us.
So if love and grace is one of the most basic needs when we enter this world, it remains a need until we leave this world (except hopefully for the diaper changing.)
These life experiences you speak of, when people have a bad experience, sometimes cause people to never want to trust love and grace again. So their mistrust continually causes them to lash out at those who offer love and grace.
Strange, but true. Those who are in need of love and grace lash out at those who offer it.
Awesome!
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