WE ARE ONE IN THE SPIRIT
By Gil Crosby, Moderator – Illinois-Wisconsin District
"...Peace will come if you empty your heart of resentment and bitterness." (Herbert Hoover)
One of my favorite stories was written by J. E. Miller in 1942 in his book, "Stories from Brethren Life". Miller lived in the Illinois-Wisconsin District in Milledgeville. The story tells of a farmer who purchased a piece of land next to a man who was constantly arguing over the fence line between the two properties. Neighbors warned the fellow not to buy the land because of potential trouble. The Farmer said, "Oh, don't worry, I'll kill him". Knowing the man was a Brethren the neighbors were taken aback when the farmer clarified his remark.. "I'll kill him with love." After several confrontations with the neighbor the farmer always graciously gave the neighbor more than he asked for. The neighbor finally said, "I've never before met a man like you. No one can quarrel with you."
Did you ever wonder why Rolaids and Tums were some of the largest selling products in America? It could be because we get our stomachs in an uproar by being upset, in fact quarrelling with what others do, think or believe. We may not openly quarrel but we stew over it and get angry over the actions of others. And for what? All we get out of it is indigestion.
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale wrote a booklet for Guideposts called "How to cope with ten of life's toughest problems". (copyright 1975) In the book he tells of a response by Abraham Lincoln when asked how he coped with all the bitter criticism poured out on him. Abe replied, "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."
Dr. Peale tells us the Bible, with its profound insight into human nature, says Pray for your enemies. He goes on to say its effective because the human mind can hold only one idea at a time. If you are praying for those who bug you, you cannot simultaneously brood over whatever perceived offence they may have cause you. Paraphrasing what Paul says in Romans 12, be nice to people you don't like, It will drive them crazy. Why are so many Christians always so angry? We probably are justified to be angry about foolish wars, starving children and people who don't think like us. WHAT! People who don't think like us? That's not right!.. but stop and think how much anger in our lives in fact is just that.. We are not tolerant of people who hold different views on life, the Bible, politics, etc.. Time to reach for the Rolaids…
To quote from Dr. Peale's writing again, "When a person has this God given inner calm, they are not likely to be disturbed by man made storms."
"...Peace will come if you empty your heart of resentment and bitterness." (Herbert Hoover)One of my favorite stories was written by J. E. Miller in 1942 in his book, "Stories from Brethren Life". Miller lived in the Illinois-Wisconsin District in Milledgeville. The story tells of a farmer who purchased a piece of land next to a man who was constantly arguing over the fence line between the two properties. Neighbors warned the fellow not to buy the land because of potential trouble. The Farmer said, "Oh, don't worry, I'll kill him". Knowing the man was a Brethren the neighbors were taken aback when the farmer clarified his remark.. "I'll kill him with love." After several confrontations with the neighbor the farmer always graciously gave the neighbor more than he asked for. The neighbor finally said, "I've never before met a man like you. No one can quarrel with you."
Did you ever wonder why Rolaids and Tums were some of the largest selling products in America? It could be because we get our stomachs in an uproar by being upset, in fact quarrelling with what others do, think or believe. We may not openly quarrel but we stew over it and get angry over the actions of others. And for what? All we get out of it is indigestion.
Dr. Norman Vincent Peale wrote a booklet for Guideposts called "How to cope with ten of life's toughest problems". (copyright 1975) In the book he tells of a response by Abraham Lincoln when asked how he coped with all the bitter criticism poured out on him. Abe replied, "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference."
Dr. Peale tells us the Bible, with its profound insight into human nature, says Pray for your enemies. He goes on to say its effective because the human mind can hold only one idea at a time. If you are praying for those who bug you, you cannot simultaneously brood over whatever perceived offence they may have cause you. Paraphrasing what Paul says in Romans 12, be nice to people you don't like, It will drive them crazy. Why are so many Christians always so angry? We probably are justified to be angry about foolish wars, starving children and people who don't think like us. WHAT! People who don't think like us? That's not right!.. but stop and think how much anger in our lives in fact is just that.. We are not tolerant of people who hold different views on life, the Bible, politics, etc.. Time to reach for the Rolaids…
To quote from Dr. Peale's writing again, "When a person has this God given inner calm, they are not likely to be disturbed by man made storms."
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