- Leto
The thing about this quote, is that it emphasizes the mystery of perspective. As Christians, and as friends, one of our greatest challenges is trying to make sure that we don't get locked into our own perspective. It is required of us instead to break out of that viewpoint; to go and stand on the opposite side as an observer.
Matt. 22:39 "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
How can we love anyone, if we don't even stop to think about what they see, what they feel?
"In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves."
But what about Hitler? How can you possibly love someone like that? Someone who purposefully hurts and mistreats others. How can you understand him? Do people like Hitler become the villains they are at birth? I don't believe so. Consider that Hitler was actually a mother's son, a child who was somebody's offspring. His upbringing was fairly normal I believe, not something from one of the Saw movies. Before WWI he was a painter, and very poor. Of course, we don't understand completely his mind. But we see the results.
We do not condone what was, and is done by people like that. But we also should consider that they didn't start off that different from us, and we could possibly end up standing in their shoes, if it weren't for the grace of God.
It's sobering. And it gives sympathy, where there might not have been any.
Does that make sense at all?
Personally, I think the most loving thing you can do to anyone, is see things the way they do.
You don't have to condone, you don't have to agree, but you do have to love.
"In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.I think it’s impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves."
- Ender Wiggin
But what about Hitler? How can you possibly love someone like that? Someone who purposefully hurts and mistreats others. How can you understand him? Do people like Hitler become the villains they are at birth? I don't believe so. Consider that Hitler was actually a mother's son, a child who was somebody's offspring. His upbringing was fairly normal I believe, not something from one of the Saw movies. Before WWI he was a painter, and very poor. Of course, we don't understand completely his mind. But we see the results.
We do not condone what was, and is done by people like that. But we also should consider that they didn't start off that different from us, and we could possibly end up standing in their shoes, if it weren't for the grace of God.
It's sobering. And it gives sympathy, where there might not have been any.
Does that make sense at all?
Personally, I think the most loving thing you can do to anyone, is see things the way they do.
You don't have to condone, you don't have to agree, but you do have to love.
Posts
It does make sense, thanks for the insight!
ReplyDelete2 Cor. 5.16 So We have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. We regard Him in that way no longer.