Encounters.

When you first encounter evil the natural (instinctive) reaction is to battle against it and destroy it or at least defeat it.

As you slowly come to realize that this approach does not work - sometimes you win, sometimes you lose - the injunction to love your enemies and pray for those who abuse you becomes more attractive.  Usually this is a last resort.

When you first encounter God you assume that He wins everything hands down. As you come to know God better you realize that this is not the case.  God is non-violent and our assent is voluntary.

God can lose.
We can refuse.

But God is non-violent.
There will be no punishment.

God looks for improvement, not victory over evil.
Improvement in our caring for the needy.
Improvement in our loving.
More warmth.
More friendship.
Less fear.
More Love.

This is in harmony with the social justice message of the prophets.


Photo Credit: † David Gunter Flickr via Compfight cc