Graffiti Reflections

Hurtful behaviors such as violence, scorn, gossip, and slander injure both victim and perpetrator. The hurtful behavior certainly devastates its target, but the hate that lies beneath eats the haters alive, clouding their thinking, crippling their hearts, and diminishing their souls. In the end, those who injure become as miserable as those whom they injure. Those who vandalize someone else's body, spirit, or good name also vandalize themselves.

~ Scott Sauls, A Gentle Answer: Our "Secret Weapon" in an Age of Us Against Them

Expectations are often dead wrong. Stone cold in the grave wrong. Obvious, and yet we still have them, prize them even.

When I cracked open this book, I expected to gaze through a window to the rest of the world, fortified in my own comfortably detached castle turret, through which I might engage in conversation with those folks who made it past the moat.

This was no window.

Stumbled upon A Gentle Answer in a bit of "book-ception" (i.e. in a book that mentioned a book whose online listing recommended a book).

Every Christian should read this one---especially now. But expect to spend a lot of uncomfortable time alone in your own castle turret reflecting. On your own reflection, that is. Expect to look into a mirror, not a window. You might see some pretty disfigured things there. But expect---plan, rather---to stare into that mirror again. And then let down the drawbridge. If you're anything like me, it might take a while. Insane to realize how much of this fantastic book has been siphoned out of my mind since I finished it in the spring; makes me think sadly of James 1:23-24. Am I that forgetful?

If life inside the castle seems messed up, just step outside. Stone walls defaced with offensive smears of paint, dead grass littered with rubbish. This world needs thoughtful, compassionate, Christ-affirming words more than ever not more outrage to add to the din. I-care-about-you-but-I-won't-back-down kind of compassion.

Sometimes I wonder if I write about these life-or-death, most-important-reason-to-be-alive issues because I want to convince myself to seek them as such. Would I be so complacent if I really believed in their gravity? Cause' I struggle. This is an especially distracting and self-centric time to be alive. And I'm an especially distractable, selfish person.

For a relatively short book, this one's powerful. So much to think about - far more than that one quote! If you decide to pick up a copy [I'd loan you mine, but it's already on-loan!], I'd love to hear your thoughts. Even if you don't end up reading this, do you have thoughts on this topic of responding to others in a society that seems to have lost its mind? What are some strategies that you've found helpful? Other books or resources you'd recommend?