In the 1880’s there lived a rich rancher who was not a particularly spiritual dude. Although he claimed to be a Christian, his actions in the world made this claim a questionable one
One day a poor farmer who had no food sneaked on to the rich farmer’s land and stole a chicken so his family could eat. He was caught by the ranch hands and brought to the rancher. The rancher had little patience for him and said, “Hang ‘im! It’ll teach ‘im a lesson!”
A couple years later, a man from Mexico was trespassing on the rancher’s land. He was very poor and hoping to find a new life. Instead, what he found was the rancher’s men, who brought him to the rancher. With a snap judgment, the rancher said, “Hang ‘im! It’ll teach ‘im a lesson.”
There were many episodes in the rancher’s life like this, in which he never stopped to put himself in other people’s shoes, but simply reacted in anger and judged and condemned them, usually ending with the phrase, “Hang ‘im. It’ll teach ‘im a lesson.”
Then one night the rancher died and saw himself going up to the gates of heaven. The rancher was hoping no one would recognize him and maybe he could just walk in. But just before he got to the gate, St. Peter stepped in front of him and said, “Wait a minute, Jesus wants to talk to you.”
Now the rancher was very worried. He remembered some of the things he had done in his life, and there he was, about to be judged by Jesus himself! For the first time, the rancher was shaking in his boots. Jesus appeared, walked slowly up to the rancher, looked him in the eyes, and then said to St. Peter, “Forgive ‘im. It’ll teach ‘im a lesson.”
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If we have been hurt by someone, let this be a year that instead of hurting back, we forgive, and become more like Jesus. It’ll teach ‘im a lesson.
If this be a year when those with less come to us for help, a chance to work, are down on luck, or are in need of our support, let’s be understanding and compassionate, and do our best to lend a hand. It’ll teach ‘im a lesson.
Remember those who mistreat us are acting from fear or ignorance. They are not treating us as we deserve to be treated, so let’s teach them how by “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.” They will not learn from our condemnation or judgment. They will learn from our example.
This year, let’s choose the higher path. This year, let’s change ourselves more than trying to change others. This year, as the great Gandhi said, let’s “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
It will require grace and empathy. It will require looking for what’s good in others. It will require using our anger to drive us into being more loving, not less. It will require us becoming more passionate about being compassionate with those we meet at work, at home, or in the community. It will require forgiveness.
Let’s go for it. “It’ll teach ‘em a lesson.”
(Story adapted from Gary Renard’s Your Immortal Reality. David Larson is a psychologist and life coach. He can be reached at 507-373-7913 or at his website, www.callthecoach.com.)
