I WAS PROVOKED. We have all felt and said this to one another here and elsewhere at some time in our lives. When the dust settles and cooler heads prevail it is often easier to see and sort out what it was all about.
Another minister recently asked a question of me " Just what do we disagree about? " Sometimes when we get caught up in the moment we are not aware of the direction we are heading, holding to our path, protecting our own words because the other person is protecting theirs. Is it possible to realize that our own destiny is tied up in the outcome of a disagreement or misunderstanding just as much as the destiny of the other persons involved? Is it really possible to PROVOKE LOVE by showing respect and allowing dignity to remain intact without asking people to lose their pride?
WHAT IS A DISAGREEMENT anyway? We all like to think we are agreeable, peaceful and loving "until provoked". SO WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE PROVOKING or BEING PROVOKED by? Could it be FEAR...fear of losing the battle...fear of being swallowed up or losing our own importance...or FEAR that we will lose something very important of precious to us? YES, I BELIEVE, all of the above.
DO WE REALLY DISAGREE? Yes and no. If we look beneath the surface of the different words we choose to frame our own importance and sense of reality it could be helpful to notice that we are perhaps saying the same thing:
We all need each other's love and understanding. What provokes one provokes us all.
We are all guilty of needing acceptance and respect...
BUT WE CANNOT GIVE EACH OTHER RESPECT. It is GOD who respects us all, who gave us our gifts and our TRUE NAME. No matter what someone else calls you or says about you--GOD LOVES YOU. Why then is it so important to us to say someone has to "earn" our respect. We say this to each other all the time. What are we REALLY looking for?
The next time you catch yourself telling someone they have to EARN your LOVE and RESPECT...ask yourself if you had to do anything to EARN GOD'S LOVE...or was it freely given to you as well.
WHO ARE WE TO PLAY GOD WITH EACH OTHER'S SELF ESTEEM?
Just something to think about. My statements and questions may be worded differently than the way you would put things...but they are in fact one way of saying:
WE ALL NEED LOVE.
HAVE YOU SHOWN SOMEONE LOVE AND RESPECT TODAY JUST FOR BEING BORN?
WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF THE SAME UNIVERSE, YES?
Respectfully submitted,
Elder Mother Nanhi