I was in a class tonight on non-profit management where we were discussing Nehemiah 2:1-5, particularly that part about Nehemiah being sad in his heart. Our topic for the evening was on being passionate and purposeful. We considered a working definition of love as insight, or perception of the situation, anger/outrage at the injustice, and identification with those oppressed and marginalized. Our teacher asked us a question that I will now ask here.
"When have you ever had a sleepless night? When were you so angry/outraged that your whole being was affected?
So...
4 comments:
I've had nearly sleepless nights being angry about certain online debates (or otherwise) I have been in, but that is mainly a character flaw instead of being passionate about something for any kind of righteous reason.
just after our church's fourth of july service...you've seen the pictures. and some of the comments made about my non-participation.
Wil,
I'm in that boat too with my parents' church and their 4th of July 'service' a few years back. I don't think I've ever been more disturbed in my life.
I've had a few outrage-induced sleepless nights. The first was when I was 12 or 13 and an older girl from church on whom I had a big crush was killed by a drunk driver. The second was the night my dad found out he had a brain tumor. The third was about four years ago when a close friend of mine pulled over on the side of the highway on a rainy night and went to see if some folks in another pulled-over car needed help. She was hit by a passing car and died instantly. When my mom told me what had happened over the phone I collapsed onto the floor and lay there, my blood boiling, until the next day. I'd never been so angry in my life.
When I hear people say that everything happens for a reason I get a strong urge to punch them in the teeth.
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