Thread by @DrJoeAbah

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” - Martin Luther King, Jnr.

Sometimes, people that don’t know you try their best to hurt you. Often, you are confident enough in yourself to simply laugh it off. Short thread...

Sometimes, in the heat of battle, you look around you to see who has your back. Some of your friends will stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Some people you are not even close to will strengthen you. Some on the enemy side will even shield you. But some friends will desert you.

It is normal to feel MLK’s words that you don’t remember the words of your enemies but the silence of your friends. Sometimes, that can last for days and people will try to set a time limit on your disappointment and ask you to move on. Deal with your pain at your own pace.

Others who tried to bully you initially and failed will try to bully you again by telling you not to feel the pain of disappointment. Don’t let them. But when you are good and ready, you MUST forget the silence of your friends. If you are to be part of God’s elect, you must.

This is what sets us apart from the rest. The ability to turn the other cheek, stupid as it may sound to the Godless. The ability to forgive and not to retaliate. The ability to know that we were all created differently, with different levels of fortitude when faced with danger.

We ourselves are not perfect. This is why we must continue to show love, regardless of how many times we have been hurt. This is why Christ says we must forgive our brothers and sisters over and over again. Being a true Christian can often be painful. You can look stupid to some.

But that’s what it requires. That is the faith that we’ve chosen. That is the faith that, through the mercy of God, has chosen us. If you recognise any of this, I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you. You are still my friend...until you hurt me again...and I forgive you again.