Do you ever get into over-heated arguments with other people, verbal brawls, out-and-out fighting matches of words and emotions with escalating tension, louder and louder shouting, and crueler things to say?
If so why? Do you end up happier? Do you accomplish a feat you are proud of when finished? Was the damage and destruction to your relationship with the other person at the end of the attack worth it?
Some kinds of fights are necessary to survive and prosper in this world. Jesus Christ fought, but not against other people. He fought evil.
He instructed, “Love your enemies,” and taught that our enemy is never another person. It’s evil qualities, traits and characteristics manifested by mortals that need to be annihilated. Selfishness, jealousy, envy, greed, lust, sin and their kin are the enemies that do us harm when we let them. And the most effective way to destroy evil is through the power of Truth and Love, not through human will and bestial anger.
We don’t have to destroy our fellowman with words of cruel and mean accusation to be triumphant over evil. We should target the evil being manifested and love the person. Separate the two, save the good and exterminate the bad.
It’s impossible to pour truth and love on our fellow beings if our thought is filled with anger and revenge. If we are indulging sin of this ugly sort we are just as guilty as the party we blame for a different crime.
So, when confronted with people we have a hard time getting along with, a first step to building a healthy relationship is to get thought into a position of dominion. And a position of dominion comes from understanding that Truth and Love trump all personal opinion and mortal ego.
To succeed, shut down any trumped-up pride, self-righteousness, and “I’m right, you’re wrong,” type of rationalization, be humble, listen for God’s direction, and pour on the wisdom and love of God. Be a healer.
Don’t fight other people. Fight evil with truth and love. There is a big difference.
It took a long time, but it just hit me a couple of days ago of what Evan was writing about. There is no need to get into a verbal argument, especially if it might endanger a relationship which lasted way over 50+ years, by forcing ones human opinion on your best friend. If your right in what you think, God will let you know, and if your wrong, that to God will reveal. Thank God for Christian Science and it’s teaching to let God reveal what’s right and what’s wrong. Human will can’t do that.
I used to be like that, but I was healed through Christian Science with an awesome chain of events in which God showed me the simple steps to recovery and I listened.