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ONLY LOVE CAN DRIVE OUT HATE
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
We began tonight's lesson by turning out the lights to make it completely dark with no light whatsoever. Of course it was impossible; even the tiniest crack permits light to shine through. We then lighted a flame to show how just a small amount of light can overcome darkness.
Adding darkness to darkness does nothing to intensify its effect. It equals the same as it did before. However, adding light to darkness, no matter how small always makes a difference. Likewise, hating someone with more intensity than they hate you does nothing to improve the situation. Life is not a contest to see who can "outdo" another when it comes to put-downs, back-stabbing, and gossip. "An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind!" The ONLY way to overcome hate is with love.
No one ever stopped hating someone because they were afraid of them or because they "won" the fight. Hate is only stopped by love.
If you wonder why others seem to hate you, take inventory of your own heart. Often times the problem is NOT your situation, it is the condition of your heart. If you find it impossible to love or forgive someone, you must look at yourself before you look at them.
People have asked how I can have no bad feelings toward the person responsible for Lauren's death. My answer is simple... no matter what the crime, God has always forgiven me. I must pay that forward into the lives of others. Because I have made a habit of trying to forgive others my entire life, this is just one bigger step.
So how can we kill hate with love? First, start small - give a mental hug and positive thoughts for people who cut you off in traffic or are rude to you at the grocery store. Pray for them or give them a smile when they don't deserve it. When we practice forgiving small offenses, it will be easier to forgive the larger ones when they happen.
Sometimes pretending that the person who wronged you is someone you love makes it easier. Whenever someone cuts me off in traffic, I think, "What if that was my pastor?" or "What if that was my dear old granny?" If it were, I would probably just laugh it off and not become upset by it.
Next, practice, practice, practice!!! It takes a while to become good at controlling your anger and emotions. However, the more you take control of your emotions, the less they will control you.
Remember, it takes a lot more STRENGTH to forgive than to retaliate. Forgiveness and kindness are indications of strength, not weakness. Every child becomes angry when they do not get their way. As they become older and more MATURE, they are able to learn to forgive and be kind if they are taught this reaction and if they consistently practice it.
Remember that God forgives every fault, no matter how big or how small. Since he forgives us we should forgive others, ALWAYS.
Lastly, pray for the well-being of that person. Not just that they would see things your way, but for their genuine well-being. If you can truly wish someone well who has hurt you, this is a good indicator that you have forgiven them completely.
USEFUL LINKS
Take the Anderson Cooper Anti-Bullying Pledge! STOP BULLYING: SPEAK UP!
https://www.facebook.com/stopbullyingspeakup
Stay up to date or find help and support at our facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/251544821531779/
Check out the full NBC news story here:
http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2011/aug/25/grieving-mom-forms-group-rise-above-bu...
BTW, if you click on the PLAYLISTS link on our RiseAboveBullying User Channel, you will find a whole playlist of songs that help us deal with grieving, as well as a whole playlist of RISE ABOVE power songs! Be sure to check the PLAYLISTS section for new music and new genres whenever you are in a music mood! We hope you enjoy, and that these songs will help others as much as they've helped us.
RISE ABOVE BULLYING!
http://img9.mediafire.com/8480ea167d805f33bbb13df3a79c564dc48f6edefd771fd59de...
All are welcome!
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How to forgive others- BK Sister Shivaniby bknikhilsharma4,467 views
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