Sometimes it’s really hard to know what to do in the face of harsh criticism. It’s even more difficult to know how to act in the face of hate. Have you ever thought about it? What would you do if someone started lobbing insults and pure meanness your way?
The more certain we are about who we and how we want to be, the easier it is to decide the best course of action. So we need to know the answers to these questions for ourselves. Who am I and how do I want to be? I find the answers in my spiritual work, in my faith, in my prayer.
It takes some effort to engage in spiritual practices…to make time to pray, to study, to meditate. It takes practice to remember to turn to God when life seems hard. It takes commitment to study…to read spiritual books, take a class, attend a retreat or Sunday services. It takes time to be with God in quiet moments, to let something larger than we are carry us toward the light. This is what it takes to lay the foundation…in order to have the best response to hate.
Shaymaa Ismaa’eel showed us how this works in real life. Read her story here. Shaymaa is a Muslim woman. She was attending a conference in Washington, DC when she encountered protesters who yelled hateful words at her. She remembered this quote by the Prophet Muhammad from the Qur’an:
“Kindness is a mark of faith. Those who aren’t kind have no faith.”
So she decided to pose with a huge smile in front of the protesters. She knows who she is and how she wants to be…guided by her faith and a commitment to her spiritual life.
Do you know who you are and how you want to be? Could you believe that kindness is a mark of faith? Are you willing to live it?
Much love always
Paula
