Survivors Grassless Ground

“Fire falling on grassless ground is extinguished of itself” This teaching points to the possibility that when-not-if- people hurl their fiery, mean, hurtful comments and actions at us, we will not explode in kind through flaming rage, anger, and hatred if our hearts are “grassless ground.”

With God’s help, we can cultivate hearts that are grassless ground, so when we find ourselves hurt by others, or even by self-inflicted wounds, we will cool quickly. Like Jesus.

Not surprisingly, the people we seem to need to forgive the most are the people we are around the most often. Spouses. Coworkers. Children. Neighbors. Because familiarity breeds contempt, we are often the most unforgiving of the people we know the best – they seem to jab or spear us the most frequently. In little ways (and sometimes in big ways) people are just plain irritating. I often tell people that it is easier to forgive someone who has been dead for thirty years than someone you sleep with every night. How are we to relate to these occasionally difficult people? How do we cope with the daily irritations created by simply being around them?

By becoming grassless ground. We need to cultivate a heart of forgiveness that expects people to act like people, even if it means betrayal by a familiar friend.

Kind David shares a similar disappointment when he writes:

Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Psalm 41:9

Why should we be surprised or irritated when someone honks their horn at us the minute the light turns green? Or when someone blurts out something hurtful and mean? I used to get steamed, but now I laugh and say, “Uh oh. Someone is unhappy.” (something I’ve learned from my wife) A forgiving heart does not return evil for evil; instead, it understands that the human condition is so flawed that doing inappropriate and hurtful things is what flawed people inevitably do.

We wonder, why in the world did they do that? But we must not forget that we also wonder the same thing about ourselves. Forgive those who persecute you. Seek justice if they have harmed you (or others) But expect to be disappointed by people-including those you know best and love most. Bless them, do not curse them.

A heart that is grassless ground:

• Expects people to disturb your peace;

• Expects people to act selfishly

• Expects people to do or say hurtful things;

• Expects people to, on occasion, try to take away things you care about very much, such as your good name and reputation, or even someone as special as a parent, child, spouse, or friend.

How are people who have been through so much able to so readily offer forgiveness? They had cultivated it through out their lives so that when grassless ground was required, it was there in abundance.

My enemies? Forgiven

And yours? Forgive them and wish them well.

Prepare your heart daily. Pray for your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Pray for yourself, even as you anticipate your own daily transgressions.

And when grassless ground is required of you, may there be found a fruitful harvest of love and forgiveness. May there be an acceptance of life and people as they are, not as you would have then be.

“The Survivors Midst or Exodus”- coming soon