Pricked

"The only reason you are hurt by someone else's actions is if you are only thinking about yourself."

I could feel my dander start to rise.   I wanted to be defensive.  Because I was thinking about myself.  I was proving his point and kicking against the pricks. So I stepped back emotionally.

My father and I were talking about love--more specifically charity and why it is necessary. "Except ye have charity ye can nowise be saved in the kingdom of God" Moroni 10:21.  And in Moroni 7:48 we learn that when the Savior comes if we are filled with charity we shall see Him as He really is, for "we shall be like him".   Isn't that what we are striving for?   To be like Him?

My dad continues, "When we don't accept the Savior it doesn't hurt His feelings.  That would imply He is focused on Himself. Instead He is so focused on us and loving and helping us that He is not hurt. "

You know that whole "guilty taketh the truth to be hard" concept?  See I know that in those times that I am thinking only about H-er and what he has suffered, I feel compassion and empathy for him and I don't hurt.   When I focus on what I have suffered--well there goes my compassion and empathy and here comes my pain.

Flashback to high school and a girl who got on every one of my nerves.  Everything about her irritated and annoyed me.  I asked a Sunday School teacher how I could get over this.  Their advice was to pray for her.  So I did.  And it only took about a week but she no longer annoyed or irritated me.  I had stopped focusing on ME and was focused on her. 

Unfortunately I am all too human and subject to the natural man.  I fail at this more often than not.  I'm too focused on my suffering. But if I can make the gap between my pain shrink each time--that is a victory.  Baby steps towards victory.

*note:  this does not mean staying and turning a blind eye to abuse.  Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt, Moses was placed in a reed basket, and as an adult the mob sought to take Jesus "but he passing through the midst of them went his way". (Luke 4:30) It is absolutely ok to leave a dangerous situation.