The Color of What We Deserve
“Doing what needs to be done may not make you happy,
but it will make you great.”
(George Bernard Shaw)
A local man died recently in a head-on collision. He and his jacked-up pickup were passing at high speed when it was not safe to do so. Did he get what he deserved? What about those he killed along with him? Will Nazi war criminal, Oskar Groening, get what he deserves for his participation in the deaths of 300 000 people in Auschwitz? Will you get what you deserve for whatever hurtful words, actions, or thoughts you have produced? Will I?
“To strengthen your power of love,
Love those who do not deserve your love.”
(Debasish Mridha)
When it comes to the very heated discussion of the topic, "give them what they deserve" we must make a choice. On the one hand the punitive eye-for-an-eye essence of deserving may provide some limited balance in the ego's system of justice. On the other hand, if our intent is healing and growth for humanity then all of us must seek something other than that which is deserved.
“Love is that which gives of itself,
not because anyone needs it or deserves it,
but because that is what love does.”
(Vivian Amis, I AM - The Key to Manifesting)
Perhaps it is time for humanity to frankly ask itself: do we want to reach our brilliant divine-spark-inspired potential? Do we want every human being to be whole, to use their gifts to glorify Love? Do we want to make the next big jump in our evolution to enlightenment? Or do we simply want the hurters, the evil ones, and the wreckers of peace to get what they justly deserve?
“Don’t give people what they want,
give them what they need.”
(Joss Whedon)
Likewise, if we want to make a positive change in humanity's vector then we have to start responding to violence with what is needed, not with that which is perceived as deserved. By way of example, the punitive aspect of our "justice system" has very little power to bring healing and wholeness to the lives of the incarcerated. I'm not suggesting that there are no consequences to hurtful and destructive actions and attitudes; of course there are. There is, however, no hope for renewal in retributive restitution.
"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."
(1 Peter 4.10)
It does truly require a significant paradigm shift to think about responding with that which is needed rather than with that which is deserved. Grace is like that though - it portions Love out according to need. Sometimes we need gentleness, sometimes a smack in the head; never do we need the hollow promises and snake-oil medicine of retaliation. If some of us are bent and broken beyond repair then these should be cared for compassionately in a way that might bring wholeness. Never - never, ever, ever should punishment be called Love, for Love always aims for healing and new life.
Consider this week the judgment of deserving that you might cast upon yourself or others. Perhaps now is good time to begin a new way of responding to the injustices and hurts of the world.
I leave the last word to Jesus, a man who was big on giving people what they needed:
"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him."
(John 3.17)
The color of what we deserve...
we all deserve Love.
Weeds
and wheat
both
receive
sunshine
and rain
Grow
and give life
To Ponder Further:
- From the Bible: "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people" (Titus 2.11)
- From Baha'i:"This is the Day in which God’s most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness." (Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh)
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