“Spiritual blessings do not come until we desire them and relinquish desire for material things. As long as we desire material things, this is all we receive, and we remain spiritually impoverished.” Peace Pilgrim
From 1953 to 1981 a woman walked across the country in a stand for peace. She walked over 25,000 miles in over 28 years before she stopped counting the miles. In the middle of her 7th cross-country journey was killed in Indiana, accidentally hit by a car as she was on her way to a speaking engagement. She cast off her own name choosing to be known only as "Peace Pilgrim" Carrying only a few possessions in her blue tunic which read "25,000 miles for peace" on the back she never asked for food, never asked for shelter. When all her needs were met she reportedly said "Aren't people good?"
But she is not the focus of this post. While her story and commitment to her cause is amazing, it was her approach to changing the world that stopped me in my tracks:
“This is the way of peace: overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love.” -Peace Pilgrim
I work with a lot of people struggling with addictions. At some point in their journey most have usually had a family intervention. It goes a lot like this: You are addicted. You sit in a room with all your family and friends. They go around and tell you how you have disappointed, hurt, frustrated, pained, deceived, robbed, and generally been a really big jerk to them.
While this is meant to be "tough love" and to shock the person into seeing the truth of their painful actions to seek help... it is a great cause of anxiety, sending them running to get the next fix. Just ask anyone who has had an intervention called on their behalf, and I'm sure you'll find that it usually has the opposite of the desired effect.
Changing is hard work. Usually hard to do when you feel less than.
Consider the The Babemba tribe of southern Africa:
"When a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he/she is placed in the center of the village, alone, unfettered. All work ceases. All gather around the accused individual. Then each person of every age, begins to talk out loud to the accused. One at a time, each person tells all the good things the one in the center ever did in his/her lifetime.
Every incident, every experience that can be recalled with any detail and accuracy, is recounted. All positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length. No one is permitted to fabricate, exaggerate or be facetious about accomplishments or positive aspects of the accused person.
The tribal ceremony often lasts several days, not ceasing until everyone is drained of every positive comment that can be mustered. At the end, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes place, and the person is symbolically and literally welcomed back into the tribe. Necessity for such ceremonies is rare!" -Contact, The First Four Minutes by Leonard Sunin
Romans 12:21 "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
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