So
here’s how the story goes….
It
was Sabbath (Saturday) and after church some friends and I planned to attend
another church to help out with their afternoon health program. I wasn’t too
sure where the church was so I decided to follow behind my friend’s car; my
friend is known for being a fast driver so I wanted to stay as close as
possible to their car. We stopped at a roundabout and my friend was able to go
straight through but I had to stop. While I was waiting to go through a young
couple with a baby decided to cross the road, the woman ran across with her pram
and then the man began to walk across very slowly (remember this isn’t a
pedestrian crossing so I had right of way). I started to creep forward not to
imply “hurry up I’m going to run you over” but to try and catch up with my
friend as my mind was so focused on not being left behind. He finally got to
the other side and I prepared to race off when I heard in my left ear all sorts
of profanity and the sentence “Can’t you wait you stupid black *blank*!” as I
sped away.
I felt like it all happened in a split second and within
that time I managed to catch a glimpse of his face and he looked extremely
angry! My initial reaction was “Wow! How
come I didn’t react or retaliate??” I
wondered if the man even questioned whether I heard him. It definitely was God’s grace that came to my
aid because I know my natural response would have been to turn the car around
(somehow) and confront him or call the police – basically make an extremely big
deal out of the situation. So I was very
encouraged and thankful to God for helping me deal with the situation in the
best way. However as I continued driving hurt and sadness began to sink in,
I began to remember a conversation that I had with a friend that very week. He
was telling me that he has experienced a lot of racism while living in Wales
and I was telling him that I find the people here, from young to old, to be very
friendly and loving and that I have never experienced racism or any form of
abuse since moving here. In fact I realised that I have never directly experienced
any form of racism.
Ok…I
know some may look at this situation and think "He just called you a black
“something” it's hardly racial abuse" but what that man wanted to do was
to curse me and show his displeasure and anger and my race was a platform for
that and that is what I found hurtful. I was reasoning in my mind if I did do something
stupid it would be because I am a stupid person
not because of the colour of my skin. However hate doesn't reason like that, it
merely seeks to hit you where it hurts. I know I am not completely blameless in
this story as I know that creeping forward was what set him off.
The
next day was very challenging for me as I kept on hearing his sentence over and
over again in my mind and imagining his angry face. I experienced many emotions
that day as I went from upset to OK to angry and almost hateful. I began
reasoning in my mind that maybe I shouldn’t go into work as I felt my colleagues
just tolerated me but deep down didn’t really like me or want me there.
*Note
– Be careful with evil thoughts, they are not your thoughts and if you ponder
on them they will become your own thoughts and you will begin to believe things
that are wholly untrue and irrational.
Providentially I watched an online
news special that day which was showing an African American lady being
extremely hateful towards a white American who went into her barber shop to
meet her African American boyfriend. It wasn’t a nice thing to witness and
towards the end of the report I thought to myself “Right, that’s enough! Everybody
has a choice and this is mine – I will not, in fact I refuse to participate in
someone else’s hate when the option to love is there, so I choose to love.”
All hate does is breed more hate for example the man at the roundabout showed
hatred towards me, then I take that and go on to pass that onto my colleagues
at work and then they go on to pass it to many others. I honestly can’t be a
participant in that; it takes too much time and energy and strips you of your
peace.
Yes hateful words and actions do hurt and cause pain but so do hateful
responses. We may think “Yes I’ve got that person back, and showed them
what I am made of!” but has responding in the same way provided any consolation?
Are we any happier now?
God took this lesson beyond race and my experience that
Sabbath and challenged my thinking even further with this scripture –
For if ye love them which
love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for
sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to
receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as
much again. But love ye your enemies,
and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be
great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore
merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Luke 6:32-37
True love is distinctive and goes beyond that which is
reciprocated. Anyone, and I mean anyone, can “love” those who love them back
and treat them well but the love that
conquers all can love irrespective of cold and callous treatment. This is a
hard concept to come to grips with and challenging but nevertheless it is very
true and attainable and I believe that
Christ can make this kind of love a reality in our lives...if we choose.
As hurtful as my experience was I believe God allowed it to
happen to show me what it really means to love and to challenge me with these
questions (join me and ask yourselves these questions too) - Do I
choose to love always? Do I combat hateful behaviour with love? Do I draw
warmth from the coldness of others? Is my response to sinful or hateful
behaviour telling of the Christian faith I profess?
There is so much hate in this world and much more to come.
There’s not much we can do about that but we do have a choice! So let’s choose
to love…always.
But
I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate
you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you.
Luke 6:27-28
Love, your girl forever,
♥ Miss Daisy ♥
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