The old ones have always said that no matter who despises or ignores you, no matter who keeps you from entering their circles, it is right to pray for them because they are alike us, too. — Chippewa wisdom.
I often watch my daughter and my wife try to get the grandchildren to eat something new. At some point I hear, “You will never know if you like it until you try it.” The same goes for God’s commandments. If we find ourselves disliking another, we still pray for them to be blessed with happiness and joy because that’s is the way we would wish to be treated. But just like eating vegetables, we will never know the experience and rewards of forgiving one’s enemies unless we do it.
We teach our children by example, and so we down our own Brussel Sprouts in order to get our children to eat healthy. We forgive our neighbors and pray for them not just because its healthy, it teaches our children by example as well.
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