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Opening Prayer
“Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
—The Jesus Prayer
Opening Quote
Don't waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson, www.quotationpage.com
Opening Scripture
21Don't let evil [harmfulness] get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good [helpfulness].(Romans 12.22, The Message)
Story
Once upon a time a group of tourists, visiting a beautiful land far from home, got on a bus. They each had looked forward to this scenic ride. For some small reason, one person was offended by another person; thus, began an argument. Another person offended by the argument, started arguing with the man whom the former decided was to blame, and this other, in turn, argued back. Now, three were arguing. One person at a time joined the argument. Finally, all were involved in the argument. No one recalled what started it. The bus pulled in to stop. The scenic journey had ended, and to the sadness of all the tourists, no one had seen a thing on the trip, so busy were they arguing.
Scripture
For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence [Greek, sarx], but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another. (Galatians 5.13-15, NRSV)
A scoundrel and a villain
goes around with crooked speech,
winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,
pointing the fingers,
with perverted mind devising evil,
continually sowing discord;
on such a one calamity will descend suddenly;
in a moment, damage beyond repair. (Proverbs 6.12-15, NRSV)
Comments
We each have a choice in how to respond to negativity and positivity. We can overcome evil only through good. If we react to evil with evil, we act with evil, and there is more evil. Evil is harmfulness; good is edification, helpfulness, love. We choose between the two.
The thoughts and words of persons influence us, for we are in a web of Life, the Word. We are linked through a common derivation from God, through Christ. Thoughts and words resonate throughout the community, even the world, and we can assume such influences the entire environment. No one is exempt from direct or indirect influence of the energies of positivity and negativity.
St. Paul faced negativity, it seems, wherever he went. It seemed to often become stronger after his departure, as factious persons arose to oppose the freedom he had preached and that had led persons to Grace in Christ Jesus. Often, it seems, these were legalists, offended by the freedom in Grace. In the congregation at Galatia, the negativity was so expressive that St. Paul warned them that they were risking mauling each other like ravenous beasts.
The Proverbs addresses the person who enjoys “sowing discord,” or “dissension.” Some persons get a kick, or high, so to speak, a feeling of empowerment, from stirring up factiousness. They are persons, often, bored by their own lives and, therefore, use contentiousness to enliven a status quo existence. Likewise, to gain the attention of other persons allows them to feel important in an otherwise life of feeling somewhat powerless and anonymous, maybe even worthless.
However, how do you respond to such negativity? This is an important question. And, in times of intense negativity, it is difficult to retain consistent repose. Such repose may be something we return to again and again, being alert to when we are being pulled by the winds of discord from the mooring of Grace, from calm waters into the gale of unquiet. And, the intent of negativity is to do just that: empower its own justification by de-enabling the spiritual Quiet and Peace. The power of negativity is to over-power and subvert, often by devious means, positivity. It does this by accumulating support and mounting a more powerful volume of discord in the community. Again, we refer to St. Paul, where marketers of negativity in the church had prompted the community to such dissension that factions were behaving like starving beasts eating on each other.
Emerson reminds us the greatest force to respond to negativity is positivity. He advises us that being preoccupied with rejection is a waste. Truth and harmony, and unity, is not about how many is on one side and how many on the other side. Likewise, positivity is not to be reliant upon acceptance from other persons.
Then, Emerson says we are not to bark against the harmfulness. Certainly, in some contexts such harmfulness has to be addressed, and often only after other means have not worked or when the well-being of a community is at stake. However, knee-jerk barking adds more attention to negativity; thereby, it helps keep the ravenousness going. Reply to such negativity needs to remain calm, composed, or the negativity gains validation through such reaction to it.
But, what are we to do? Meet negativity with positivity. “Chant the beauty of the good,” says Emerson. The greatest force against negativity, indeed, to disable it, is to focus on the positive, to celebrate the Good. Evil will never overcome evil. Good transforms the negative.
The Prologue to St. John, in verse 5, says that the darkness (i.e., harmfulness, negativity, meanness, contentiousness, …) cannot overcome the light (i.e., helpfulness, edification, blessing, beauty, …). In any and every situation we can meet darkness with light. But, if we give our choice to the darkness, we will be pulled from the haven of Peace into the squall of Disquiet. Therefore, when seeing you are being pulled into the squall of Disquiet, give yourself space to pray, spend time in the Presence of the Spirit, ask for guidance, and the Holy Spirit will come to your aid and provide strength and joy.
Spiritual Exercise
1. Prayerfully reflect on Psalm 131, especially verse 2. How might you live “calmed and quieted” within? Explain. Do you need to make any commitments in daily practice or change of attitude to live a more peaceful, centered-in-Christ life?
Psalm 131 (NRSV)
Song of Quiet Trust
A Song of Ascents. Of David.
1O LORD, my heart is not lifted up,
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
too great and too marvelous for me.
2But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
like a weaned child with its mother;
my soul is like the weaned child that is with me [or, within me].
3O Israel, hope in the LORD
from this time on and for evermore.
2. Think of anyone who is contentious and hurting others or you, or both. Commit that person to the Holy Spirit. Do not tell the Holy Spirit all what to do. Simply say something like, “Gracious Spirit, I give … to you. Bless…. Amen.“ When saying the prayer, let yourself feel compassion for the person. Remember, often we act out in anger and hurting others when we ourselves are hurt. Pray for Christ to give you the compassion to be compassionate toward everyone who brings discord, and, also, pray that the Holy Spirit will give you insight and strength to take care of yourself, so that you are not taken into the negativity. You are not present to solve matters for the other person. Learn to surrender other persons to the Spirit, and give the Spirit time to work. Your not being taken into the negativity may be the most Christlike, loving witness you can give to the person. Remember, Jesus did not try to do psychology on his opponents or resolve matters for them; rather, Jesus remained focused on obeying his Father. Of course, they thought they finally killed him: but no. You do the same, even though at times it might seem your good is overwhelmed; light is never, finally, overwhelmed by darkness, as embodied in the story of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Truth will always be vindicated in time.
Supporting Children Living In Poverty
Consider, if you are not already, sponsoring a child through Compassion International. You can find out more about Compassion International by going to www.compassion.net to read about sponsoring, in the name of Jesus, children living in poverty. Thanks! Brian K. Wilcox
L•O•V•E
The Greatest Force in the Universe
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