Humbled
The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that is the essence of inhumanity - George Bernard Shaw.
I am humbled.
All this while, I've been trying to be a good Christian that I've managed to miss the most important point of being a Christian - LOVE.
I think I love, because I don't hate. But the absence of love is hate - indifference is hate. Like in the parable of the good Samaritan - the priest and the Levite both did not 'hate' the man lying by the road, in the sense that they did not further injure him. But by their very inaction, they showed that they did not love their neighbor.
The Samaritan, on the other hand, made sure the man was cared for - he showed love for his neighbor.
Even Jesus Himself taught us to 'Do unto others...' The keyword here is DO. Not only are we asked to refrain from hurting others, we are also called to actively help others.
It came as a shock to me to realize that I'd been hating so many people in my life.
I read about Mahatma Gandhi, who absorbed Christian principles in his cause against the British through passive resistance. When the police started hitting demonstators, through his example, they lined up to receive the blows. He simply refused to react violently to violence.
If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also ~ Luke 6:29. Not many Christians I know would do that. I don't think that even I would!
He said that there were causes he would die for, but never one which he would kill for.
It shames me that a non-Christian could effectively live out Jesus' principle of love and forgiveness, while I could not, while I still hated - by my active despise towards rapists or by my indifference towards so many people.
Recently, Joy and Amanda mentioned a true story in which a little girl repeatedly told her rapist tearfully that 'Jesus loves you', even through the whole horrendous experience. He killed her - but his conscience tortures him to no end.
Would I have the grace to forgive him if I were in her position?
There is still so much in me that hates, so much that doesn't care. I am so far from being what God wants me to be. I am so selfish, so arrogant, so self-righteous, so sickening, and yet God still loves me.
I am humbled.
I am humbled.
All this while, I've been trying to be a good Christian that I've managed to miss the most important point of being a Christian - LOVE.
I think I love, because I don't hate. But the absence of love is hate - indifference is hate. Like in the parable of the good Samaritan - the priest and the Levite both did not 'hate' the man lying by the road, in the sense that they did not further injure him. But by their very inaction, they showed that they did not love their neighbor.
The Samaritan, on the other hand, made sure the man was cared for - he showed love for his neighbor.
Even Jesus Himself taught us to 'Do unto others...' The keyword here is DO. Not only are we asked to refrain from hurting others, we are also called to actively help others.
It came as a shock to me to realize that I'd been hating so many people in my life.
I read about Mahatma Gandhi, who absorbed Christian principles in his cause against the British through passive resistance. When the police started hitting demonstators, through his example, they lined up to receive the blows. He simply refused to react violently to violence.
If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also ~ Luke 6:29. Not many Christians I know would do that. I don't think that even I would!
He said that there were causes he would die for, but never one which he would kill for.
It shames me that a non-Christian could effectively live out Jesus' principle of love and forgiveness, while I could not, while I still hated - by my active despise towards rapists or by my indifference towards so many people.
Recently, Joy and Amanda mentioned a true story in which a little girl repeatedly told her rapist tearfully that 'Jesus loves you', even through the whole horrendous experience. He killed her - but his conscience tortures him to no end.
Would I have the grace to forgive him if I were in her position?
There is still so much in me that hates, so much that doesn't care. I am so far from being what God wants me to be. I am so selfish, so arrogant, so self-righteous, so sickening, and yet God still loves me.
I am humbled.
posted by sleepypurplepiglet at 4:11 PM
1 Comments:
PPP: Your writing is very mature & with a purpose. Keep it up!
Post a Comment
<< Home