Ed, my neighbour next door, has always had a great many wise cracks about my snoring. He hasn?t experienced it firsthand. Listening to the exaggerated talk of my family has made Ed a pretentious authority on the excessive loudness and frequency of my snoring. I have told Ed quite frankly that unless he has heard my snoring for himself he shouldn?t comment on it. Of course, it hasn?t tempered Ed?s comments one bit.
I found out recently Ed has a sleeping problem of his own. Ed suffers from recurring bouts of insomnia especially during seeding and harvest. Stress and extra or unusual activity tends to send Ed into days and weeks of insomnia. The recent trip to the Caribbean and the cruise there led to a two-week stretch of sleeplessness after Ed got home. Hearing about Ed?s insomnia tempted me to wise crack about tossing and turning, counting sheep, pacing the floor, watching late night shows, etc. I did want to ask Ed if he tried whiskey, as that is his cure for almost everything. Although I was really tempted to get even with Ed for his wise cracking, I managed to keep from even letting on I heard about his sleeplessness in Melville.
Growing up with older brothers and sisters, I held my own in giving back as good as I got. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was common in our sibling relationships and I have never quite grown out of wanting to argue, or fight back, or get even. Some grow up letting things go. Some families are full of peace, reasoned discussion and negotiation. Some are models of turning the other cheek. All I can say is that the itch to argue, scrap and get even is a reflex that can still get the best of me in my old age.
It seems to me that God had to send his son, Jesus Christ, into the world to demonstrate the way of love. Jesus said, ?You have heard that it was said, ?Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.? But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also ... Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.?
Jesus understood that it is easy for us to argue, fight, and get even. He acted in perfect love for us by laying down his innocent life on the cross for our sin, without resistance or argument. He prayed for those crucifying him. He stated to his disciples, ?All men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.?
It is hard to express love with a clenched fist, or a heart set on getting even, or a tongue ready to argue or demand. C.W. Vanderbergh caught the challenge of love with his words, ?To love the whole world for me is no chore; My only real problem?s my neighbour next door.?
The Bible tells us, ?We love because God first loved us. If anyone says, ?I love God,? yet hates his brother he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: whoever loves God must also love his brother.?
