When confronted with problems or complaints we are most susceptible to evil thoughts and malicious actions. For a moment let us all think of a time when someone in our life inferred, professed, or directly confronted us with an accusation. However subtle the claim, the profoundness of fault can throw our emotions into a tailspin. Particularly we are vulnerable when we have yet to take the time to contemplate these encounters. Whether we are prepared or not rest assured that the ability to lose control of our own self is waiting patiently in our quiver for swift disposal.
While we have the time to patiently observe the possibilities of outcome from future encounters let us use reason to explore a better way. First, examine the intent of the accuser. Why have they presented a fault to us? There are numerous motives. To help us. To seek justice. To help themselves. To help others. To hurt us. To control us. To use us. To make themselves feel better about their own faults. To stir trouble. These are only the first that come to mind. What else comes to your mind? A cursory review of the array of intentions can lead us to one immediate conclusion. We cannot be sure if the intention of the accuser is virtuous or cruel. Reaching this conclusion in the absence of duress provides us with the opportunity to secure a sound response during future encounters of the like.
One thing that we can be certain is that our response can affect the direction of the conversation. We can cause it to travel toward a destructive path. With just as much ease we can force its hand in a constructive path. Consider now how we can direct the conversation toward destruction. We have experienced this. For many of us this is all too often the path in which we find our self traversing. Consider now how we might take the sword out of our hand and replace it with open arms. Since we have proven to ourselves that the intention of an accuser may be good then we have no right to form defensive responses. Why not take a whole new approach? One with the ability to remove the sword from their hand. Cast out all pride in response to the accusation. Present humbleness and find that we are in control of our own self, steering our conversations toward mutual benefit.
Benjamin Franklin once professed his political successes in this manner, "I made it a rule to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiment of others, and all positive assertion of my own." What if when confronted on the next occasion we reply in this fashion, "I have been wrong on many occasions. It is likely that I am mistaken once again. Let us please take a look at this together." There is something enchanting when we approach one another in this way. We approach with no malicious pride, ego, or strife. How different could our lives transpire if we remove the sword from our hands by extinguishing our own pride?
Copyright © Robert Clinton Chedester 2012
While we have the time to patiently observe the possibilities of outcome from future encounters let us use reason to explore a better way. First, examine the intent of the accuser. Why have they presented a fault to us? There are numerous motives. To help us. To seek justice. To help themselves. To help others. To hurt us. To control us. To use us. To make themselves feel better about their own faults. To stir trouble. These are only the first that come to mind. What else comes to your mind? A cursory review of the array of intentions can lead us to one immediate conclusion. We cannot be sure if the intention of the accuser is virtuous or cruel. Reaching this conclusion in the absence of duress provides us with the opportunity to secure a sound response during future encounters of the like.
One thing that we can be certain is that our response can affect the direction of the conversation. We can cause it to travel toward a destructive path. With just as much ease we can force its hand in a constructive path. Consider now how we can direct the conversation toward destruction. We have experienced this. For many of us this is all too often the path in which we find our self traversing. Consider now how we might take the sword out of our hand and replace it with open arms. Since we have proven to ourselves that the intention of an accuser may be good then we have no right to form defensive responses. Why not take a whole new approach? One with the ability to remove the sword from their hand. Cast out all pride in response to the accusation. Present humbleness and find that we are in control of our own self, steering our conversations toward mutual benefit.
Benjamin Franklin once professed his political successes in this manner, "I made it a rule to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiment of others, and all positive assertion of my own." What if when confronted on the next occasion we reply in this fashion, "I have been wrong on many occasions. It is likely that I am mistaken once again. Let us please take a look at this together." There is something enchanting when we approach one another in this way. We approach with no malicious pride, ego, or strife. How different could our lives transpire if we remove the sword from our hands by extinguishing our own pride?
Copyright © Robert Clinton Chedester 2012