Recently a colleague publically accused me of going on a witch hunt for
political purposes and that my actions were, ‘mean-spirited, vindictive,
vial and disgusting.’ There was a
time that I would have wilted under such criticism, regardless of whether or
not there was any truth to the sentiments – but no more. I think my reactions
are different because of a wardrobe change. Today I wouldn’t be caught dead
outside the house without being dressed in the Amour of God. (Eph 6:14)
3 comments:
Gail;
-----You are working in the rabbit hole from where everybody expects Wonderland to emerge. It would be hard not to feel a little like Alice. Everybody is elected into that hole on the strength of their opinions and the assertiveness of their character. Self examination just isn’t a natural occurrence there. Consequently, the belts of truth you see worn there are going to be of different colors, various sizes, strange shapes, an assorted materials. One person’s analysis and evaluation will be another’s witch hunt. Your ends and means will be seen as political purposes, drive and logical focus will be taken as a mean spirit, and corrective action as vindictiveness. A mentality being so unable to think even momentarily in another person’s terms shrinks into perceiving any opposition to itself as vial and disgusting. The belts of truth in the rabbit hole are mostly self-made.
-----Honestly, there’s not a lot of truth amongst us being both definitely knowable and held in common. A lot of truth is definitely knowable. The held-in-common thing is the problem. This problem arises because truth has its own purpose while most people think purpose is a personal possession selected from the great, philosophical smorgasbord. Needing truth’s conformance to their selected purpose necessitates replacing humility for truth’s discovery with defense of purpose. Then anything perceivable as truth is accepted instead of definitely knowable truth. So the variety of belts becomes very odd indeed.
-----I climbed out of my car the other day, and it fussed up a terrible storm. I had opened the door with the key still in the ignition switch, and it beeped till I pulled it. But when I closed the door the squealing doubled in time and pitch so bad I thought the car was going to jump up and down flapping its doors. The headlights were still on. God also gives us many, many, many warning signals in life. But neither does He jump up and down flapping His doors. His signals are subtle and often mixed amongst life’s other noises. Humility notices them; obedience discovers truth.
-----What signal can possibly be in someone’s thinking we are vial and disgusting when we’re so sure of our own truth? Maybe that nobody takes a perfect position on anything. We can always find a bit of error in our own way. And taking a momentary thought using our opponent’s terms, even if he’s definitely wrong, will at least reveal how he might save face while adjusting position. These are two fundamental keys of diplomacy: give your opponent a way to save face and admit your own culpabilities. Your admissions are invitations for his doing the same, and giving him a way to save face can be catalytic. It doesn’t work always, but it works often. And the more head butting can be turned into solution finding the less rabbit hole defines Wonderland. Truth is more a search than it is a finding. For in the end we all will see much of what we made of our own belts vanish as He changes them to completely match His. So why not live now knowing that will happen then?
Love you all,
Steve Corey
It was something of great pleasure finding your site last night. I got here today hoping to come across something new. Your ideas about new methods on this subject were informative and an excellent help to me. Thank you for leaving out time to write down these things along with sharing your ideas.
Term Papers,
We'll look forward to you thoughts also.
Gail
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