Monday, September 5, 2011

A heart under the hoodie

One thing I don't do very well, but realize that I need to do well, is find positive things to say about those with whom you disagree. My least favorite coach in the NFL is Bill "Belicheat" Belichick. Not fan of that joker for a number of reasons.

However, I found out something about this lad which surprised me quite a bit: he seems to have legitimate feelings. He says in reference to the final cuts when teams have to go from 80 down to 53 players:

“It doesn’t make it any easier, but it’s something you have to deal with every year,” Belichick said. “It doesn’t really get any easier. It’s always a grouping of people and you’re affecting their lives and their families and their careers and trying to do what’s best for the team, but that still can be tough. It is tough.”

I have no personal interaction with Coach, so its not that tough to commend his concern for his players. There really is a heart under the "hoodie" (probably the least fashionable coach in the NLF, he simply wears a "hoodie" sweatshirt, and pants of course) as hard as it is to admit.

Yet it becomes much harder when dealing with folks with whom we have actual relationships. How much more with those we struggle fancying? Nevertheless, we will rarely ever be "heard" until we can also find and relay something positive to such folks. Very few people listen to those who can find NOTHING positive about them. I think this is why Republicans and Democrats rarely ever get anywhere with each other.

Since all of us truly are made in the image of God, we can find something positive to say about our enemies, critics, or those folks who we find harder to love than others. As much as I struggle to believe this, it still rings true.

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