It’s going to be a tough year. V.A.T. rises to 20% on New Year’s Day. The prices of food, electricity and gas have just been increased. Wages and pensions remain fixed. Gloom and doom are all around in abundance! What can we do?
For everyone on low incomes, for those living on the streets, the future looks bleak. The sub-zero temperatures match the depressed spirits of many that we meet. What can we do?
We don’t often realise that every person that we meet has one thing in common.
The grumpy man in the traffic queue who keeps sounding his horn when no—one can move! The bad-tempered child who is crying and annoying an equally bad-tempered mother. The bankers and politicians who blame everybody but themselves for the financial down-turn. The glamorous pop and film stars whose private lives are such a mess. The individuals suffering with dementia and their more than concerned partners and carers.
All of these people have one thing in common, with us and every person on this planet earth!
We are all potential angels of heaven! Tell that to the people in the traffic queue, the crying child, the homeless, the destitute, the lonely – they would mock and laugh at the idea!
Too often our first reaction when meeting anyone, whether familiar to us or not, is to be careful and guarded. What impression am I making on this person? What can I get out of this meeting? These questions are often subconscious but nonetheless real.
If everyone we meet is a potential angel, surely we should be looking for the good and true opinions and ideas which are in them. Trying to bring the good out of them, not for our sake but for theirs. Agree with what is good and kind. Show a lack of interest in what is not.
It is hard on many occasions to believe that everyone is a potential angel—even ourselves! In every branch of life, down to the most mundane of activities, we are acting out our ultimate destination. The least we can do is to aid everyone we meet with this endeavour. If someone is doing a lot of good, encourage it! If they are running into harmful ways and attitudes, try to divert them. Often we can only make bad ideals and actions less bad rather than good. It’s worth a try.
If a friend or member of the family loses their temper with you, try to see it from their point of view. Have you destroyed or threatened to destroy something precious to them? Have they threatened to break an object or idea precious to you? A calm statement of the truth as you see it is much more likely to succeed than harsh words.
Our Lord dealt with many sorts of people after He was born. From those who loved Him to those who feared and hated Him. He did something which we find very hard. He loved them all!
In 2011, let try to love SOMETHING in every person that we meet. Very hard at times, so let’s start with ourselves. What good is there in you which is loveable? Encourage it! Bring it to the fore in all you do. It’s surprising how other people can respond to it. In doing this, you will encourage more of the Lord’s presence in an increasingly miserable world. So, roll on 2011! Do your worst! We shall be ready for you!
Copyright 2011 Geoffrey Bentley.
