We (Aimee’s family) have had some problems recently with our neighbors. I want to be discreet, so let me just say that this situation has led to some uncomfortable confrontations and the need for mercy on our part, which, at the moment, is not easy. All of that got me thinking about how we react to people when we feel wronged by them.
It would be very easy to just be mad and to stop there, dwell there, dive into anger and never come up for air. We could sit around and insist that they are all kinds of bad things, that the person is just a bad person and that’s why they did something bad. We could smear their names throughout the neighborhood, letting our bad thoughts flow out of our minds and through our mouths. We could decide to never be kind to them ever again, not talk to them any more, not show consideration of any kind, not care, perhaps even turn around and be mean ourselves.
However, we can’t do that. It would be easy to do. Lot’s of people do that stuff. But we aren’t just any people. We are children of the living God, and our heavenly Father expects more from us.
When someone else treats us badly it does not give us permission to turn around and treat them badly. The poor choices of others don’t give us permission to make bad choices ourselves. That’s not what God wants.
Jesus told us what it is that God wants:
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” (Matt 5:44)
Those who have wronged us need our prayers, our mercy, and our compassion. They don’t deserve it, but we don’t deserve what God did for us. As it says in Romans 5:8,
“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
So, we have to overlook their shortcomings, and remember our own. We need to open our hearts and consider their point of view, as we would hope others would do for us.
It’s still difficult for us right now because everything is so fresh. But it’s important that when it’s all fresh to recognize the need for mercy and compassion, even if it’s difficult to really feel it at the moment. Pray for patience. Pray for understanding. If you can’t see it on the horizon yet, pray to the Lord to help you to find your mercy and compassion.
Remember that they may not deserve it, but neither do we.
Here is another excerpt from my book. This will be the last excerpt for a while. I would still love to hear your thoughts. You can find more information on our Facebook page, or you can search for “Still Untitled.”
I hope you enjoy reading this:
Thomas stopped dead in his tracks. They had finally reached the edge of the forest. The sight of a small village and people ahead of them had stopped him. He was so shocked by what he saw that he didn’t seem to know how to even process what he was seeing. Bernie was concentrating so hard on watching where she stepped that she didn’t notice that Thomas had stopped until she almost ran into him.
“Something wrong?”
Thomas didn’t answer. He continued to look forward, his gaze frozen.
Bernie could see nothing around Thomas. When he didn’t answer, she stepped around him so that she could see what had so fully grabbed his attention.
A giant tree stood in what appeared to be the very center of the village. They could see the canopy of the tree towering over the top of several small, simple buildings. Its branches stretched out radialy from the trunk, providing abundant shade for the entire village square. The tree, as beautiful and massive as it was, was not the most amazing site before their eyes, however. The tree certainly demanded their attention and was easily the first thing to draw the eye; but their focus immediately moved to and stayed with the people. They appeared to be human, but not quite. As familiar as they appeared, there was something un-human about them at the same time. Their un-humanness was not disturbing; in fact, it was quite the opposite. Every single person had an inexplicable beauty, captivating the senses. All of the people, even the children, moved with a grace that neither of them could remember having ever seen before. Again, it was un-human, mysterious, and breath-taking. Thomas and Bernie were almost afraid to move towards them or to speak, lest they break the spell of beauty that danced before their eyes.
Then, Thomas suddenly realized that the people were naked. He could not image how he had missed it, but it was true; both men and women, adult and child, were naked. Some of the people were simply lounging in the shade of the giant tree, relaxing and apparently just admiring the beauty around them, or laughing and chatting with others. Some were walking, alone or with others. Children were running and playing. Some people appeared to be working, though from such a distance it was impossible to tell what they were doing.
Slowly, Thomas and Bernie were able to draw their attention away from the people to look at the land around the village, which they had completely ignored until now. It too had a beauty that was beyond words. The land was green; a vibrant green unlike they had ever seen before. Trees, smaller than the large central tree, though still large on their own, were dotted throughout the village. What Thomas guessed to be homes were small, simple, and seemed to almost be a part of the nature around them. He did not see a single sign of any synthetic materials in the buildings or in the people’s sparse clothing. Thomas guessed that the area must have a mild climate all year round, based on the simplicity of the structures. They did not look like they would stand up to much.
Far to the right was a river running between still more trees in a smaller, less-dense forest than they had just exited and across some fields of what appeared to be some sort of grain. To the left of the village, fruit trees were heavy with their harvests, and for a couple of minutes Thomas watched a few people with baskets gathering fruit. Their work was easy. Most of the people moved around in pairs or small groups, likely talking as they went. Past the orchards, the land sloped downward. He could just make out what appeared to be the edge of another village at the end of a long, simple dirt road, surrounded by more trees, and more fields of what he imagined contained other edibles. Beyond the village, straight in front of them, rose tall mountains. There was snow on the tops of the mountains and Thomas figured that must be the source of the river on the right.
The spell of the village and the people was broken when he felt Bernie punch him in the arm. He didn’t speak but immediately turned towards her, and almost as immediately saw what had prompted her to get his attention. One of the people was staring at them. The man was standing about 20 meters away from them on their right. Thomas turned with a jerk almost involuntarily to face the man. His movement seemed to break a spell over Bernie and she too turned.
The man, like the others in the village, was naked. In his right hand he held a tall walking stick that reached just past his shoulders. His facial expression clearly suggested that he was just as astonished to see them as they were to see him. The man did not appear to be afraid and Thomas was surprised to realize that he was not afraid either. Being that the man was naked, it was quite clear that he was not carrying any weapons. The strong feeling that was sweeping over Thomas was intense curiosity. If she had been able to find a voice, Bernie would have told him that the thoughts running through her head were the same as his own at the moment. All three of them simply stood where they were, rooted to their spots, and stared at one another.
The man was the first to move. He closed his eyes and turned his face slightly away and up towards the sky. He stood still for a few moments in that position. Then, opening his eyes and dropping his face back down, he walked towards Thomas and Bernie. They both flinched slightly when the man began moving towards them and then refroze as they watched him move closer and closer. Their hearts raced. Thomas realized that he could feel and hear his heartbeat as if the muscle were sitting in his ear canal. Bernie was suddenly reminded of her cut as she imagined the blood rushing to her head and she instinctively raised a hand to it to be sure that it was not bleeding.
The man did not hesitate nor did he rush. He strode forward casually and with a small smile as if he were walking towards old friends. He stopped within a couple of feet of them and said something in what was apparently the language of his people. Thomas and Bernie both smiled despite themselves at the sound of his voice. They had no idea what he had said but the language was beautiful and melodic. Their hearts slowed a little to more normal rhythms.
The man understood almost immediately that they had not understood him. He closed his eyes and turned his face upwards just as before. This time, when he looked back at them and spoke again they understood him.
“Greetings,” he said with a warm smile. “Welcome to our home.”
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