Love your neighbor as yourself
Although this commandment which is attributed to Jesus and in one form or another to a host of spiritual teachers, social scientists, including psychologists, can now document the specific part of the body which are damaged by holding on to hate or judgement of self or others.
As many of us can attest if we take this commandment at face value it is easy to follow. . Since we often are the harshest on ourselves and, in fact, do not like ourselves it takes no effort to love others as we love ourselves. We hate ourselves and, thus, are okay with hating others. Goodness knows if we are using the point system for grading our own behavior we can easily assign points to others. As I have previously noted the point system requires an excel or other spread sheet to develop and track ways we hurt ourselves, others and all parts of mother nature. We also have to decide the “N” – the number of people who we will track on a daily basis. Since we cannot track the thoughts and actions of others with any degree of consistently or accuracy, we must develop a score based on the reliability and validity of the information which we will post on the excel spread sheet. There must also be a degree of clairvoyance score. Even though many of us take the behavior of others personally, it will take a post-doctoral degree in clairvoyance to determine if indeed one should take the behavior of others personally. Even if directed at one the behavior of another has to do with the unfinished emotional issues of the person who is directing harmful behavior at one.
Many of us know that we are human and we often behave in a way which is inconsistent with the long term emotional, spiritual and physical health of all of us. True, some of us are able to convince ourselves that our sin score is much less than others. There are even those who comment on my blogs with the assurance that. they are one of the deserving people and others are not. Their score sheet either does not record the way they hurt others or they have a huge steel shield which protects them from knowing what they know. Anytime one uses such a shield one is disconnected from self and others which leaves a significant void in one. Sadly, all too often, one then uses power, things, positions, money sex or even drugs to attempt to fill that void.
It seems as if all aspects of one’s health would be improved if we could remember and accept:
As many survivors of the mass shootings in the United States and elsewhere remind us, it is time to respond to hate with love; to refuse to accept the invitation to anger and hate.
Written September 2, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Although this commandment which is attributed to Jesus and in one form or another to a host of spiritual teachers, social scientists, including psychologists, can now document the specific part of the body which are damaged by holding on to hate or judgement of self or others.
As many of us can attest if we take this commandment at face value it is easy to follow. . Since we often are the harshest on ourselves and, in fact, do not like ourselves it takes no effort to love others as we love ourselves. We hate ourselves and, thus, are okay with hating others. Goodness knows if we are using the point system for grading our own behavior we can easily assign points to others. As I have previously noted the point system requires an excel or other spread sheet to develop and track ways we hurt ourselves, others and all parts of mother nature. We also have to decide the “N” – the number of people who we will track on a daily basis. Since we cannot track the thoughts and actions of others with any degree of consistently or accuracy, we must develop a score based on the reliability and validity of the information which we will post on the excel spread sheet. There must also be a degree of clairvoyance score. Even though many of us take the behavior of others personally, it will take a post-doctoral degree in clairvoyance to determine if indeed one should take the behavior of others personally. Even if directed at one the behavior of another has to do with the unfinished emotional issues of the person who is directing harmful behavior at one.
Many of us know that we are human and we often behave in a way which is inconsistent with the long term emotional, spiritual and physical health of all of us. True, some of us are able to convince ourselves that our sin score is much less than others. There are even those who comment on my blogs with the assurance that. they are one of the deserving people and others are not. Their score sheet either does not record the way they hurt others or they have a huge steel shield which protects them from knowing what they know. Anytime one uses such a shield one is disconnected from self and others which leaves a significant void in one. Sadly, all too often, one then uses power, things, positions, money sex or even drugs to attempt to fill that void.
It seems as if all aspects of one’s health would be improved if we could remember and accept:
- All of us are human and, at times hurt self and others in both direct and indirect ways.
- The behavior of another is never about the person they hurt or attempt to hurt. Certainly our behavior affects others. If we want to grow spiritually – do our part to create a more just, sustainable and loving world – we must be accountable for our actions.
- The more effectively and completely we are able to show ourselves unconditional love (within the context of being accountable) the more effectively we can love others. Thus Jesus and other were essentially saying that one cannot happen without the other. We are all interconnected and a part of the sacred whole. If we hurt ourselves we hurt others. If we hurt others we hurt ourselves.
As many survivors of the mass shootings in the United States and elsewhere remind us, it is time to respond to hate with love; to refuse to accept the invitation to anger and hate.
Written September 2, 2019
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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