Enemies



We think that 'enemies' have nothing in common. Actually 'enemies' are intimately joined at the heart. The fear and anger that drive my enemy to be against me, and the fear and anger that drive me to be against my enemy, are exactly the same energy, arising from exactly the same place. 

Breathing into that pain in myself, I breathe into that pain in my enemy. Understanding that pain in myself, I understand that pain in my enemy. Healing that pain in myself, I heal that pain in my enemy. Then we can actually sit down and talk to each other about our children. That is what Jesus meant when he said, 'Love your enemy.' It is not passivity. It is a very dynamic process.

The opposite of this healing process is anger. Anger is a poison that paralyzes the heart. As the paralysis sets it, it causes foot stomping, fist raising, shouting, and even violence. Some people mistake this for 'action.'

No comments: