Soften The Cutting Edges Of Your Thoughts ~ Words ~ Actions

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Our thoughts, words and actions matter. We have spent our lives figuring out who we are and what we stand for. If we do not stand up for injustice and cruelty when we see it, we will stand for anything. It is as if we do not take a stand and ignore the problem, it will go away. We say, “It’s not my fault. I did not do that.”

On one hand, we get so distracted. We have our daily lives, our families, schedules, jobs and balancing the checkbook, if we even have enough cash to balance, that most of us simply want to get to the end of the day without any more bother.

Over the years we form our patterns, our judgments. The more we think a certain way, the more solidified it gets wired into our brains. Our judgments are supported by those who think the way we do. This can be life affirming when our ideals match empathetic, compassionate and loving lifestyles.

However, there are times when our judgments turn harsh. People have done us wrong. We have been hurt by others. We got fired, lost our homes and ability to provide for our families. We get bitter. That is when we gravitate to a “scarcity mentality,” thoughts like, “If I give to others, there won’t be enough for me.” Or, “I have to work, let them get a job,” without fully realizing that there are not available jobs out there without having to work more than one job to get a living wage. Or we think, “That will never happen again.” Worse yet, some people think, “I do not care what happens to others. I’ve got enough problems of my own.” When this happens we form our harsh judgments the same way an ice skater sharpens the blades of their ice skates.

Harsh thoughts, words and actions cut with the same precision as sharp ice skate blades on ice. It hurts. Harsh, cruel and/or racist thoughts and words hurt as much as the actions themselves.

The hurt can be compared to continuing to tighten down the bolts on any project beyond the hold that it needs will strip either the bolt or break the thing the bolt is supposed to be fastened to. Our judgments do this in our lives just as much as our thoughtlessness, careless words and inaction. We use our judgment on what we think is important to decide to change our thoughts to something more pleasant, keep silent, or do nothing. These are what is known as sins of omission when we could have thought more about a situation, said something, or done something to help or turn the tide of thought in our home, neighborhood, country or in the world.

Silence is not golden. Silence is agreement.

We are all accountable for our own thoughts, words and actions. No one makes us do anything. We are not the puppets of other people. When it fits us, we own up to our thoughts, words and actions. When it doesn’t suit us, we blame others as if others made us think, say or do a thing. That’s when we turn three years old and blame everyone and everything else on why we thought, said or did a particular action.

I say we are not puppets of other people. That is true of course, unless we have sold our soul for the greed of money, illicit sexual encounters with underage youth, or a host of other self-serving material goals we wish to remain hidden.

Is money the bottom line making any resulting action alright, even if the action is morally bankrupt?

Is any and everything to be accepted as long as we made $10, $100, $100, $10,000 or a million extra dollars last year?

What is the acceptable code of conduct we hold ourselves to?

It matters.

Now is the time to soften the edges of our harsh judgments. Matthew 7:1 says, “Stop judging!” We need to pay attention to the beatitudes Jesus taught in Matthew 5.

This judging thing is a two-edged sword. We can and often do make good, life-sustaining judgments, improve quality of life judgments for everyone, not just ourselves and those in the upper class financial bracket, save the planet with environmentally friendly judgments, and the like. However, we can easily deceive ourselves and others. Pay attention to the heart. Stop judging refers to quitting the thoughts and opinions that divide people, and cause us to think in “us vs. them” roles as if we are better than others. Stopping judging others will help us to drop intolerance, hate speech and becoming desensitized and heartlessly robotic.

Racism is not a valid opinion. Racism is a hate crime.

We can get numb from the sensory overload of the constant wear and tear of being good, standing up for good or doing the right thing in love as Jesus taught. Jesus never said to not take care of people depending on the situation. Jesus taught us this lesson when he gave the parable of the good Samaritan.

History has a habit of repeating itself. The world has turned a blind eye once before, becoming desensitized to racism, intolerance, hate speech and humanity’s life and death struggle.

Now is the time to soften the edges of our harsh opinions, statements and actions before history repeats itself. Jesus never promoted war, weapons, killing, nor non-forgiveness.

We are all 100 percent responsible for all of the plights and conditions in the world. We are all in the condition we are in by our own thoughts, words and actions. We can also improve all the plights and conditions in the world by our thoughts, words and actions when we united our hearts, minds and voices with Jesus of Nazareth, praying to his heavenly Father.

We have all made mistakes in the past. We got it so wrong that God sent his Son to show us how to live better. Let us remember the peaceful, loving solutions that Jesus gave us as the way of how best to live.