There is a finely elusive art to living a nontoxic life. This art consists largely of the habitual extending of grace and forgiveness to others. In order for one to remain consistent and unwavering in these efforts, they must be engaged with the understanding that such measures will not be reciprocated in truth by virtually anyone.
For us to actually triumph in this world, we love those who hate us, and when people are evil, we are kind to them in return, instead of hurting them back. It’s all completely backwards from what conventional wisdom would seem to indicate.
Common sense says that you need to stand up for your rights and defend yourself because if you don’t then other people will simply chew you up and spit you out. The problem with this is that there exists a pattern of spiritual decay echoing throughout this plane of existence, and when you play by the rules of common sense, you only perpetuate it.
I saw a fantastic example of this principle at work in a clip from a news broadcast today, which I will share below. In it, an MSNBC reporter is overwhelmed and on the verge of tears at the sight of an incredibly moving display of compassion, empathy, and forgiveness on the part of those affected by the recent eruption of racially motivated violence in Charleston, S.C.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggiU2n09NY8
Responding to evil with love breaks the cycle. It is the only way to rise above the fray of this broken world.
