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From The Restory - Conversations On The Journey (109)

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Love Your Enemy


“You’re familiar with the old written law, 
‘Love your friend,’ 
and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ 
I’m challenging that. 
I’m telling you to love your enemies. 
Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. 
When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer, 
for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. 
This is what God does. 
He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—
to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. 
If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? 
Anybody can do that. 
If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? 
Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that. 

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. 
You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. 
Live out your God-created identity. 
Live generously and graciously toward others, 
the way God lives toward you.”
‭‭
Matt 5‬:‭43‬-‭48 (The Message)‭                              



The Conversation





Elements From The Conversation

 

"The acceptance of oneself is the essence of the whole moral problem and the epitome of a whole outlook on life. That I feed the hungry, that I forgive an insult, that I love my enemy in the name of Christ -- all these are undoubtedly great virtues. What I do unto the least of my brethren, that I do unto Christ. But what if I should discover that the least among them all, the poorest of all the beggars, the most impudent of all the offenders, the very enemy himself -- that these are within me, and that I myself stand in need of the alms of my own kindness -- that I myself am the enemy who must be loved -- what then? As a rule, the Christian's attitude is then reversed; there is no longer any question of love or long-suffering; we say to the brother within us "Raca," and condemn and rage against ourselves. We hide it from the world; we refuse to admit ever having met this least among the lowly in ourselves.” 

Carl Gustav Jung



Music






Clearing

Do not try to save
the whole world
or do anything grandiose.
Instead, create
a clearing
in the dense forest
of your life
and wait there
patiently,
until the song
that is your life
falls into your own cupped hands
and you recognize and greet it.
Only then will you know
how to give yourself
to this world
so worth of rescue.

– Martha Postlewaite                                                


With much love.


George & Matilda










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