Responding Right (3)
DAILY VITAMIN
- Responding Right IV
As humans, we would always have our differences; and unless we act daily by this knowledge, we would forever get frustrated by the contrasting opinions and characters we encounter everyday. When God created us, He knew well enough that He was not making a population of individuals who think alike, and act alike- with a natural predisposition that is 100% identical. No! He knew we would have different characters as we have different faces; different destinies as we have different dreams. He knew we would be in every way different, but He anticipated that even in our differences, we'd find a way to blend in unison. Though different in makeup, He placed in us a desire and capacity to tolerate one another for the achievement of certain goals- especially those that are involved in the advancement of His will on the earth. In essence, if these differences are all part of God's grand plan, when it comes to our reactions towards one another, there's a particular response God then desire we dispose to every one we engage. Not the mumbling sort or the angry responses, but one that edifies them towards the exact knowledge of Himself He wants them aware of. Let's look at Paul's testimony for instance. He said "Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we intreat..." (1 Cor 4:12-13). Paul always gave a suprisingly nice reaction than the actions he received. And this he did because he understood what God expected of him- which was to be the light in the midst of darkness. Light is always willing to share a tiny space in a surrounding of darkness, because even with that little front space its impact can still be felt in a distance. This is because since light travels in a straight line, it doesn't matter how thin that line is, it's completely its. On the other hand, darkness has no impact until it bullies all the light out of a room, without which it has no presence. Altogether, what this means as it pertains to our daily lives is that you don't have to make others feel bad to feel good. You don't have to make others feel despondent as they made you feel to have your presence recognized. You don't have to go a tooth for a tooth before your point can be made clear. You don't have to hate a contrasting group before you can feel normal. You can still shine even while they do. You're not meant to hate the other guy because he's entirely different in all ramifications from you, rather you're meant to use his supposed differences as a means to complement yours. Your incapacity is someone else's capacity and vice versa. That means where your ideas can't work, theirs might. And God knew all of this. Henceforth, let unity be bred in your thought patterns. Let your responses be to bring unity in place of divisions. The early church survived through unity- having reactions that maintained oneness; in the same way if our present surrounding world is ever going to survive, we need more unity amongst our differences than differences among our unison.
- Responding Right IV
As humans, we would always have our differences; and unless we act daily by this knowledge, we would forever get frustrated by the contrasting opinions and characters we encounter everyday. When God created us, He knew well enough that He was not making a population of individuals who think alike, and act alike- with a natural predisposition that is 100% identical. No! He knew we would have different characters as we have different faces; different destinies as we have different dreams. He knew we would be in every way different, but He anticipated that even in our differences, we'd find a way to blend in unison. Though different in makeup, He placed in us a desire and capacity to tolerate one another for the achievement of certain goals- especially those that are involved in the advancement of His will on the earth. In essence, if these differences are all part of God's grand plan, when it comes to our reactions towards one another, there's a particular response God then desire we dispose to every one we engage. Not the mumbling sort or the angry responses, but one that edifies them towards the exact knowledge of Himself He wants them aware of. Let's look at Paul's testimony for instance. He said "Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we intreat..." (1 Cor 4:12-13). Paul always gave a suprisingly nice reaction than the actions he received. And this he did because he understood what God expected of him- which was to be the light in the midst of darkness. Light is always willing to share a tiny space in a surrounding of darkness, because even with that little front space its impact can still be felt in a distance. This is because since light travels in a straight line, it doesn't matter how thin that line is, it's completely its. On the other hand, darkness has no impact until it bullies all the light out of a room, without which it has no presence. Altogether, what this means as it pertains to our daily lives is that you don't have to make others feel bad to feel good. You don't have to make others feel despondent as they made you feel to have your presence recognized. You don't have to go a tooth for a tooth before your point can be made clear. You don't have to hate a contrasting group before you can feel normal. You can still shine even while they do. You're not meant to hate the other guy because he's entirely different in all ramifications from you, rather you're meant to use his supposed differences as a means to complement yours. Your incapacity is someone else's capacity and vice versa. That means where your ideas can't work, theirs might. And God knew all of this. Henceforth, let unity be bred in your thought patterns. Let your responses be to bring unity in place of divisions. The early church survived through unity- having reactions that maintained oneness; in the same way if our present surrounding world is ever going to survive, we need more unity amongst our differences than differences among our unison.
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