Mutual Respect and Mutual Forgiveness in Friendship: To Agree to Disagree in Love

It is absolutely wonderful to have a great friend that is there for you, that is “not” backing off at anything and that is “risking it all” to help, to save, to protect, to defend, to rescue and to fight for another friend regardless of the cost, regardless of the outcome.  It is very commendable to be a “good Samaritan” that is prompted to care for, to intervene impulsively, compassionately and wholeheartedly, and to be the solution to someone else’s ordeal (*1).  It is also greatly amazing and uplifting to be the recipient of such unique acts of faithfulness, of bravery, of strong support, of selfless stand when it is least expected and while some around you seem distracted (or careless), unconcerned, detached and preoccupied by other priorities.

Territorial governance and dominion, however, demand that the integrity often called upon and requested be nurtured and preserved, and expect (or dictate) that the required acknowledgement be respected, honored and upheld for the sake of strong standing, for the sake of peace and stability, and for the sake of evident establishment (“of the governance”).  It is written to “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (*2). Therefore, one got to do what one got to do for the convincing proof of support and for the evident manifestation of protection to the innocent, the abused, the wrongfully and the unfairly victimized.  We must fulfill our duty with dignity, poise, firm belief and decisiveness.

Recently, I totally disagreed with one of my friends, and I have taken a strong position against his deliberate decision to take a defensive stand on my behalf (genuinely yes, yet controversially) in his blog.  Nevertheless, my respect for him remains unchanged.  He was able to demonstrate to me that he is indeed a man who believes in individual fairness.  He has taken the compelling steps to do the tough thing and to defend what he believes from his standpoint as a “good Samaritan” and as an advocate for fairness “despite some unknown”.  That is why that friend is a man of great and uncommon ethics.  Despite our slight disagreement about that specific subject, and despite my subsequent and resulting response, he has nevertheless maintained his strong position of respect in our friendship.

It costs to be a singular man of great caliber regardless of the resulting controversy, and it pays to be an unusual man with strong backbone.  In the spirit of mutual forgiveness, I offer a sincere handshake to that friend, that supportive man that took the unusual yet controversial stand for my sake when I least expected it.  A “good Samaritan” remains a “good Samaritan”.  Our good deeds are mainly and primarily to please God.  And this is our intrinsic reward that fosters our inner Peace.

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(*1) Ref.: The Holy Bible/ Luke 10:25-37. 

(*2) Ref.: The Holy Bible/ Matthew 22:15-22.
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Special Notes:

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