Greetings Dear Reader,
I was in a conversation with one of my family elders a few
weeks ago. This person cited an event
from thirty years ago that was minor to me.
It was apparently major to my elder.
In reference to someone else in the family, this was said, “She lied
about the amount of sugar she put in the iced tea so, she will always lie to
you.”
Let us consider the things that are taking place here. That which is past cannot be changed. Someone is using the past to prejudge someone
else’s future. The prologue has become a
judgmental dialogue that puts a loved one into a box from which they cannot
escape. Sugar in the iced tea may seem insignificant. The difficulty is that we do this on a
grander scale and give very little hopeful lease to the present.
What is the fear involved in the past failures of
others? It is that they will fail again. Further, it is that they will fail us
again. We will be hurt. Our hopes and expectations will not be
met. It then follows that we do not
forgive fully, we reject, and we prejudge with condemnation.
It is our fear that leads us to assume the worst of
others. It is focusing on the unchangeable
that leads us to deny others the opportunity to change. This flies in the face of constant forgiveness. It violates the rules of unconditional
love. We fear the pain of being hurt
again and so we abandon our obligation to love and restore even those who harm
us. We prejudge the future based on the
past and so withhold love in the moment.
I spent five years refusing to speak with a family member because
of the constant pain the individual causes me in every encounter. I want to say clearly that I was wrong. I should have worked harder to show that individual
love and worked at restoration. Since I have
broken the silence and am working at these things, the danger is still
there. The personal attacks are still
constant. The difference is me. I refuse to let my fear determine my
actions. I refuse to withhold love and care.
In my efforts to be unoffendable, what I fear clamors for control
over my mind and will. What I must do is
follow Christ in loving those who assail me or even passively hurt me out of
habit. The past is prologue, Dear
Reader but it is up to me to make today one where fear does not determine how I
treat others. It is up to me to journey
well and follow Christ in grace, love, and mercy. You are always welcome to join me.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every
writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a
homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure
store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Every human story is part of the great story that leads
to the Father getting everything back to Good.
Contacts for Aramis
Thorn:
#aramisthorn
Bookings: aramisthorn@aramisthorn.com
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