MOUNTAIN WINGS
-------------------------------------------------
MountainWings A MountainWings Moment
#1269 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
-------------------------------------------------
You Will Meet Them Too
=======================
MountainWings.com has a large number of subscribers in over 125
countries. The vast majority is silent and most that do speak
are very kind and complimentary.
Approximately one in every few thousand is totally obnoxious
and vulgar. They will write and the email will be loaded with
curse words, and derogatory statements; you name it, they write
it. They rudely demand to be removed from the list when all it
takes to be removed is about 10 seconds with a quick click to
the website.
It no longer bothers me, it did at first, but you get used to
it. You begin to see the spirit behind it and eventually feel
more compassion than anger. They are often hurting very deeply
themselves and only know how to lash out as they have been
lashed out against.
The reason that I am telling you this is that sooner or later,
you will meet them too, just as MountainWings does.
At work, in the family, at the mall, on the golf course, in the
gym, at church, or even a faceless foreign enemy, sooner or
later you will meet someone that for reasons that have nothing
to do with you, will violently lash out at you.
The first temptation when that happens to you is to fight fire
with fire. The key to that phrase is "fight." An angry violent
person will draw you into a fight, if you let them.
You have three choices when you meet them.
1. Fight - Return blow for blow, an eye for an eye. They curse
- you curse, they swing - you swing, they glare - you glare,
that's the essence of fighting. In a fight, not only do you
return blow for blow, but also you try to get in more blows.
You end up trying to out curse, out shout, out glare, and out
hate the enemy.
2. Ignore Them - Say nothing, do nothing, become numb to them,
and hope they go away.
3. Return Love for Hate - Each of these gets harder to do.
Loving your enemy is not an easy thing to do. It goes against
every nerve cell in the body and our cultural training.
Jesus told us to do that. I now understand why.
Anger and hate kill, not just the other person, but you.
Anger and hate will raise your blood pressure, irritate your
nerves, tense your entire body, and even constipate you.
There is a long list of physical illnesses that are caused by
mental stress. Anger and hate lead the list in causing stress
just as love leads the list in relieving stress.
I thought Jesus said Love Your Enemy to help the other person.
It helps the other person, but the greatest benefit is to you.
There was a particularly nasty note from a 12-year-old boy.
I was astounded that a 12-year-old would talk that way.
Each time I see a virulent email, I now bow my head and pray for
the peace of that person. Hopefully the prayer helps them.
I too have the three choices: I can get mad and respond in the
same violent manner, I can ignore it but not really, it will
still burn inside of you with a small flame, or I can pray for
the peace of that person.
When I pray for their peace, it brings my peace. I understand
now that loving your enemy is really loving yourself.
Remember this when you meet them, for surely you will.
They will curse and fuss, huff and puff, and stare and glare,
criticize and taunt you for something that is not your fault.
Remember it's not you who has caused the real pain, those
wounds are more likely from an age long before you.
Learn to pray for them, learn to love them, for surely as you
read this, sooner or later, you will meet them.
Be prepared to Love them; you need it.
~A MountainWings Original~
Thank you for inviting MountainWings in your mailbox.
See you tomorrow.
Forward this issue to a friend or send them the link below:
http://www.mountainwings.com/past/1269.htm
****************************************************************
www.MountainWings.com "Wings Over The Mountains of Life"
To: Subscribe, Un-Subscribe, Get a Book, T-Shirt, Rate Issues,
Tell Friends about MountainWings, Read Past Issues, Donations,
Submit a MountainWings Moment or Prayer Request, Set homepage to
Daily issue in larger type Go To: http://www.mountainwings.com
****************************************************************
MountainWings, POBox 43725, 120 Selig Dr., Atlanta, GA 30336 USA
MountainWings A MountainWings Moment
#1269 Wings Over The Mountains of Life
-------------------------------------------------
You Will Meet Them Too
=======================
MountainWings.com has a large number of subscribers in over 125
countries. The vast majority is silent and most that do speak
are very kind and complimentary.
Approximately one in every few thousand is totally obnoxious
and vulgar. They will write and the email will be loaded with
curse words, and derogatory statements; you name it, they write
it. They rudely demand to be removed from the list when all it
takes to be removed is about 10 seconds with a quick click to
the website.
It no longer bothers me, it did at first, but you get used to
it. You begin to see the spirit behind it and eventually feel
more compassion than anger. They are often hurting very deeply
themselves and only know how to lash out as they have been
lashed out against.
The reason that I am telling you this is that sooner or later,
you will meet them too, just as MountainWings does.
At work, in the family, at the mall, on the golf course, in the
gym, at church, or even a faceless foreign enemy, sooner or
later you will meet someone that for reasons that have nothing
to do with you, will violently lash out at you.
The first temptation when that happens to you is to fight fire
with fire. The key to that phrase is "fight." An angry violent
person will draw you into a fight, if you let them.
You have three choices when you meet them.
1. Fight - Return blow for blow, an eye for an eye. They curse
- you curse, they swing - you swing, they glare - you glare,
that's the essence of fighting. In a fight, not only do you
return blow for blow, but also you try to get in more blows.
You end up trying to out curse, out shout, out glare, and out
hate the enemy.
2. Ignore Them - Say nothing, do nothing, become numb to them,
and hope they go away.
3. Return Love for Hate - Each of these gets harder to do.
Loving your enemy is not an easy thing to do. It goes against
every nerve cell in the body and our cultural training.
Jesus told us to do that. I now understand why.
Anger and hate kill, not just the other person, but you.
Anger and hate will raise your blood pressure, irritate your
nerves, tense your entire body, and even constipate you.
There is a long list of physical illnesses that are caused by
mental stress. Anger and hate lead the list in causing stress
just as love leads the list in relieving stress.
I thought Jesus said Love Your Enemy to help the other person.
It helps the other person, but the greatest benefit is to you.
There was a particularly nasty note from a 12-year-old boy.
I was astounded that a 12-year-old would talk that way.
Each time I see a virulent email, I now bow my head and pray for
the peace of that person. Hopefully the prayer helps them.
I too have the three choices: I can get mad and respond in the
same violent manner, I can ignore it but not really, it will
still burn inside of you with a small flame, or I can pray for
the peace of that person.
When I pray for their peace, it brings my peace. I understand
now that loving your enemy is really loving yourself.
Remember this when you meet them, for surely you will.
They will curse and fuss, huff and puff, and stare and glare,
criticize and taunt you for something that is not your fault.
Remember it's not you who has caused the real pain, those
wounds are more likely from an age long before you.
Learn to pray for them, learn to love them, for surely as you
read this, sooner or later, you will meet them.
Be prepared to Love them; you need it.
~A MountainWings Original~
Thank you for inviting MountainWings in your mailbox.
See you tomorrow.
Forward this issue to a friend or send them the link below:
http://www.mountainwings.com/past/1269.htm
****************************************************************
www.MountainWings.com "Wings Over The Mountains of Life"
To: Subscribe, Un-Subscribe, Get a Book, T-Shirt, Rate Issues,
Tell Friends about MountainWings, Read Past Issues, Donations,
Submit a MountainWings Moment or Prayer Request, Set homepage to
Daily issue in larger type Go To: http://www.mountainwings.com
****************************************************************
MountainWings, POBox 43725, 120 Selig Dr., Atlanta, GA 30336 USA
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