<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople don\u2019t care how much you know until they know how much you care\u201d (Anonymous).<\/p>\n
IT TAKES A PERSON OF UNUSUAL HONESTY TO CONFRONT THE QUESTION OF GOODWILL. It\u2019s easy to say that we care about people and we have goodwill toward all, but it\u2019s a rare person who can say those things and not be twisting the truth. Aren\u2019t there a few individuals whom it would give us some secret pleasure to see hurt? Not a lot, of course, just a little bit . . . just to give them a taste of their own medicine . . . just to see that justice is done. It would, after all, be \u201cfor their own good,\u201d wouldn\u2019t it? Because we \u201ccare\u201d about them.<\/p>\n
The unvarnished truth is this: most of us ordinary folks have at least a trace of malevolence<\/em> (\u201cill will\u201d) in us. Where there should be benevolence<\/em> (\u201cgood will\u201d), there is too often a residue of spite or vindictiveness. We say we \u201cdon\u2019t mean anybody any harm,\u201d but we harbor the thought that harm is exactly what some people have got coming to them \u2014 and it wouldn\u2019t hurt our feelings much to see them get it.<\/p>\n It\u2019s my considered opinion, however, that ill will is not a way of thinking that\u2019s natural to us. It\u2019s a perversion, a warping of our better instincts. I agree with V\u00e1clav Havel, who said, \u201cTime and time again I have been persuaded that a huge potential of goodwill is slumbering within our society. It\u2019s just that it\u2019s incoherent, suppressed, confused, crippled, and perplexed.\u201d So we need to be honest about it when we see that our goodwill has been \u201csuppressed, confused, etc.,\u201d and be relentless in rooting those interferences out of our hearts.<\/p>\n Whether our will toward others is good or ill, will is something we can change. If we\u2019ve gotten into the habit of thinking hurtful thoughts about others, it may take some practice, but we can change our \u201cill will\u201d into \u201cgood will.\u201d We can determine to be benevolent.<\/p>\n But as we work on our goodwill, let\u2019s make it better by making it more specific. Generic goodwill toward the human race is of relatively little use. What we need is an active, practical goodwill toward the people we actually have to deal with from day to day!<\/p>\n \u201cYou cannot add to the peace and goodwill of the world if you fail to create an atmosphere of harmony and love right where you live and work\u201d (Thomas Dreier).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n