Enemy At The Gates
Forgiveness has been a big thing on my radar lately. Not wanting it but giving it and the lack therof. I read something a few weeks back that hit home for me. I stopped reading this book to pick up another one. (I am known for reading 2 or 3 books at one time...must be the ADHD in me) Anyways, I picked this book back up and forgot where I left off so I opened it up to this page and it hit me just as hard as it did the first time I read it.
"Just when I think I know, I find out I don't know. What seems most obvious is seldom what's really true. What I don't know is almost always more significant than what I know.Compassion leads to forgiveness when we understand where our enemy cries."
Ouch! Do we see the sins of each other as opportunities to pray for one another or do we see them as a way to make us feel holier about ourselves? "At least I don't do that" or "I never act that way."
Do we see a man down as an opportunity to lift him up and make him stronger or do we see their situation as a way to gouge at a wound that is already tearing at their heart?
Where does our enemy cry? Think about that the next time we are quick to judge...I don't know where that came from but for what its worth, it spoke to me very loudly.
"Just when I think I know, I find out I don't know. What seems most obvious is seldom what's really true. What I don't know is almost always more significant than what I know.Compassion leads to forgiveness when we understand where our enemy cries."
Ouch! Do we see the sins of each other as opportunities to pray for one another or do we see them as a way to make us feel holier about ourselves? "At least I don't do that" or "I never act that way."
Do we see a man down as an opportunity to lift him up and make him stronger or do we see their situation as a way to gouge at a wound that is already tearing at their heart?
Where does our enemy cry? Think about that the next time we are quick to judge...I don't know where that came from but for what its worth, it spoke to me very loudly.
I was having a conversation a while back with my band mates while on the road, and we were talking about how when you see a idiot driver on the road, and how that ticks you off, then a little while after they pass you, you see them pulled over by a cop. A warped sense of justice comes and you can't help but want to laugh. We realized that if that was us, we wouldn't feel that way.
There's definitely something to be said about walking a mile in our enemy's shoes...or maybe just finding out where they cry.
Posted by
Joel |
1:18 PM
I'm going to go on record by saying that, shutting our freaking mouths about those that hurt/wound/piss us off, and seeing them as a human being that we are told to put before ourselves is a humbling thing and requires a huge LACK of pride to do... This is a lesson that so so so many need to learn.
Posted by
PapaBob |
9:41 PM
Sorry man, read this really late and didn't comprehend a single word...maybe some more colorful pictures next time!
Posted by
prozaciswack |
9:42 PM