July 16, 2001
Love
Is The Soulful Response
Love
your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray
for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
Jesus; Matthew 5:44
Hatred
do not ever cease in this world by hating, but by loving; this is an eternal
truth. . . Overcome anger by love, overcome evil by good.
Overcome the miser by giving, overcome the liar by truth.
Buddha; Dhammapada
I.5 & I7.3
When I was just out of high school, I attended our
church’s national conference as a delegate.
The Synod, as it is referred to, is a major gathering that helps fashion
the policy and direction of the churches, outreach programs, etc.
I was filled with enthusiasm to be one of a handful of youth from across
the nation who would be sitting alongside ministers and other prominent members
of our faith conducting this important business.
I was assigned to be part of a caucus that was
addressing the question of whether military chaplains should retain officer
status, as was the practice, or lose that designation and the privileges that
went with the title. When we broke
out of our small group having discussed the various pros and cons, we next
presented our opinions to a larger more public forum.
Not being one to shy away from the microphone, I
chose to share some thoughts I had developed in the earlier session.
My comments were met with general approval and I felt good about my
contribution and communicating in a persuasive manner.
As the session broke up a man came plowing through
several rows of folding chairs with such anger on his face, I can see it even
today. He immediately lit into me
about how wrong I was and that I my opinion was not welcome.
Still very young, I was intimidated by an adult, and as his nametag
revealed, a minister, no less, yelling at me while others stood around in a
state of shock.
I searched for words as I held back tears and finally
thinking about where I was I finally said, “I’m sorry you feel that way, but
I still love you”. Stunned, he
stood there for a few moments and then did an about face and walked away
With the tension of the moment still in the air and
realizing many of the people that witnessed his tirade where still staring my
direction, tears began to form and a few escaped down my cheeks.
A wonderful man next to me who also was a minister put his arm around me
and said, “The bible says to love your enemies.
What it doesn’t tell us is that we are going to first have to make a
few before we can love them. You
said the right thing to him and gave him something to think about”.
I reminded myself of that event this week as I ran
into a very frustrated businessperson who is facing unbearable business
challenges resulting in pain. Whoever
coined the phrase “it’s nothing personal, it’s just business”, has
obviously never run a business with character.
This person’s pain has resulted in making many hurtful comments to his
own employees and even to those of us who have attempted to help
Overlooking comments directed at me, I called him and
attempted in the most loving way possible to help him understand how his
employees were also hurting and concerned about their future, but most of all I
called to tell him I cared about him and his family. I tried to impress upon him that I would be there for him if
and when he ever needed someone just to talk to.
When someone attacks your character it is difficult
not to be upset and get defensive. But
for some reason, I found myself hurting for him for I knew he was burning
bridges with people who had cared about him and his company.
By the time I went to bed, I ended my day with a very special prayer for
him and the others who were being affected by these very personal business
disappointments.
Stripping away the angry and hurtful words that come
our way to see another’s soul is difficult.
Allowing our soul to take control to offer our response can be even more
difficult. But these are the
settings in our everyday lives that we must react to with the same compassion
and understanding as we would for those who are sick with disease.
It is the tense moment where we measure just how awake our soul really is
and where we are on our spiritual quest.
With respect, acceptance, and
love,
Richard