Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Percieved Injuries

I have been feeling attacked lately.  I am one of these things that is not like the other when it comes to the belief's of everyone around me at home.  People wield  the term "Wickedness never was happiness" like a sword and pound it in.  The issue of course is what you define as wickedness.
Is the person enjoying a Sunday coffee at the local coffee house wicked?  Some would say yes, a large amount of the people around me would, I think.   There is a huge push on how to spend Sunday's recently and I can't help but think of Jesus's comment about the Sabbath being made for man, not the other way around.  If we are classified as wicked for doing what leaves us refreshed and ready to face the week ahead of us what then?  What of the person who doesn't find constant meetings, writing letters, and mixing with people who have very different opinions and are quite vocal about it refreshing?  What of the person who works on Sunday willingly because they need the income and don't share our beliefs?  Is boycotting them righteousness?
So my quandary.  What is this suffering born of?  My desire for people not to insinuate I am wicked?  My desire for people to acknowledge I can have happiness and be different from them?  I suppose so.  Yet,  when the people who are closest to you feel this way, and your children are getting these teachings from multiple sources, what of that?  I suppose that is a desire like anything else,  just one that hits close to home.  Perhaps this is why monks feel the need to sequester themselves.
To be clear, I do not believe personally in sequestering myself.  I often do with my feelings and I shouldn't do that.  Perhaps my desire to not make waves is not a good thing. Perhaps I should be more vocal and share that I am feeling attacked and leave it up to the receivers to think in their heart that I only feel that way because I am wicked, or misguided.  I can't control the opinions or thoughts of others, but I can make them aware that their actions have consequences that might not be as positive as they think.  I suppose informing someone who desires to love one another and be kind as Jesus taught that their words are interpreted as unkind would be right thought, or even loving kindness.  I suppose I should speak up.  Well,  here I go!

No comments:

Post a Comment