Friday, November 21, 2008

Difficult People

Are there any difficult people in your life?
Ponder this profound statement.

"There is a very real danger of our drifting into an attitude of contempt for humanity. We know quite well that we have no right to do so, and that it would lead us into the most sterile relation to our fellow-men. The following thoughts may keep us from such a temptation. It means that we at once fall into the worst blunders of our opponents. The man who despises another will never be able to make anything of him. Nothing that we despise in the other man is entirely absent from ourselves. Why have we hitherto thought so intemperately about man and his frailty and temptability? We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer. The only profitable relationship to others -- and especially to our weaker brethren -- is one of love, and that means the will to hold fellowship with them. God himself did not despise humanity, but became man for men's sake."
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters from Prison

For more information about the life of this amazing man, I recommend the following link:
http://www.dbonhoeffer.org

1 comment:

ncd said...

PJ,
It is interesting to see this insightful message from so long ago. Sometimes, as we face issues in our lives, we think no one has ever been there before. But that is not so.
Recently I have been working on this very thing in my life. (See "Marks of Christian Maturity" [Self Examination] 4. Relationships, B. With the Body of Christ, i. I put up with the idiosyncrasies of others.)
I ask God for a ministry of helping others. I begin to help others. Then I find my mind being critical of those I help (only in some cases). Immediately after having a critical thought I recognize that I am certainly no better than the one I am thinking about in a critical way. In fact, since I know this attitude is one of sin I am held more accountable for repentance of those thoughts. It can feel frustrating, discouraging, humbling, but who can take their thoughts captive. Here is my solution. Keep in God's word to fill up on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellant and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8) and do not give Satan a foothold. Instead of folding when a negative thought comes involuntarily to mind just give it immediately up to God and let him reverse it. It is an ongoing process but I see it working.
Thanks for reminding me that I am not alone in this plight and that there is a way to go, to stay in step with the Savior.
ncd