Have you ever heard people say that things would be just great if it wasn't for 'the others'? I've even said so myself! You know, when you get days which would otherwise have been okay, if it wasn't for the actions of 'other people'? The folk who drive their cars oh-so-slowly when you are running late; the people who never return your phone calls when you ring them up and leave a message; the awkward customer who complains when you can't give them the answer they'd like straight away. 'Other people' cut corners and bend the rules and always seem to get away with it.
I've been challenged today as to what the 'other people' in this phrase really represents. And I keep coming back to the quote from Sartre. His vision of hell was centred on a situation where there is no possible means of escape. Trapped forever with people you don't get on with!
There's another way to look at this. Because, if hell is other people, then it is probably because your outlook on life has made it so. What exactly is it that is stopping you getting on with these people? If you feel trapped, is this in reality a probably a prison of your own making. A prison of 'self'.
You may have heard the story about General William Booth who, in the 1900s, reportedly sent a one word message by telegram to encourage his officers around the world. The word? 'Others'.
'Others' is the reason that many of us do what we do. 'Others' is the whole reason why you update your Facebook page, for social networking. 'Others' is the reason you do voluntary work, give up your time to make someone's life a little bit better. I write the words contained in this blog for me. 'Others' is the reason I publish it.
It's how we as Christians should live our lives - for 'others'. Not for what they can do for us, but what we can do for them. We should take our example from the Servant King.
It's also 'church' should be. A group of like-minded people, all different, yet all living together in community. Because that reflects the concept behind The Trinity. And therefore is a vision of how Heaven will be like.
The quotation said "Hell is Other People". However, I can now tell you that Heaven is Other People!
Matthew 25:40 (New International Version)
I've been challenged today as to what the 'other people' in this phrase really represents. And I keep coming back to the quote from Sartre. His vision of hell was centred on a situation where there is no possible means of escape. Trapped forever with people you don't get on with!
There's another way to look at this. Because, if hell is other people, then it is probably because your outlook on life has made it so. What exactly is it that is stopping you getting on with these people? If you feel trapped, is this in reality a probably a prison of your own making. A prison of 'self'.
You may have heard the story about General William Booth who, in the 1900s, reportedly sent a one word message by telegram to encourage his officers around the world. The word? 'Others'.
'Others' is the reason that many of us do what we do. 'Others' is the whole reason why you update your Facebook page, for social networking. 'Others' is the reason you do voluntary work, give up your time to make someone's life a little bit better. I write the words contained in this blog for me. 'Others' is the reason I publish it.
It's how we as Christians should live our lives - for 'others'. Not for what they can do for us, but what we can do for them. We should take our example from the Servant King.
It's also 'church' should be. A group of like-minded people, all different, yet all living together in community. Because that reflects the concept behind The Trinity. And therefore is a vision of how Heaven will be like.
The quotation said "Hell is Other People". However, I can now tell you that Heaven is Other People!
Matthew 25:40 (New International Version)
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"
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