Christmas - a reflection I observed young humans behaving.
* He was drunk. He came up behind the little guy and smacked him hard, simultaneously with both palms around the ears. He then abused and threatened the other three as they sat eating and socializing. He was bigger, alcohol influenced and with three non-aggressive young men. As drunk as he was – he chose not to project this behaviour on the big tougher guys only a few yards away.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a……… ………place this alongside the TV News and ask in this context “who is the Palestinian? who the Israeli?”
* The big guy shouted loud at everyone around. Helping self to three desserts seemed right to him. As his palms opened, the fingers extended like spikes. Like his tone of voice – like his loudness, he is big and strong and tall and yet his life skills have developed along a certain limited behavioural line.
“Joy to the World”. Doesn’t this happen between nations, races, cultures, staff teams, individuals in one-to-one?
“Sorrow and love flow mingled down” This was said of the real Founder of my life as he was crucified – the horrible necessity and purpose of all that was to follow his Christmas birth.
I have heard that between birth and five years of age, the average child receives 431 negative messages every day.
* get down * don’t do that * be quiet * no * look at the state of you * …………….off you little…………… * you have got dirt on our…………. * don’t touch
So………..we repress our feelings because ‘We feel’ they are unacceptable to others and the mask comes in handy in the staff meeting. We can pretend we have it ‘all together’ behind the mask! The mask helps to protect us from the negatives in daily life. Yes – in your places - as you know.
Seeing behind the behaviour, the mask, the army uniform----------------- -----------------------I see a beautiful human who Jesus was born for and………… ………… (fill in yourself bit)
“ We are sick as we are secret” - John Berryman
As the violence and the loudness, the oppression, the killing at home or abroad – happens I have decided to make my life an act of love.
Let us join the vulnerable babe this Christmas. Maskless vulnerability.
