Once, when I was working as an Educational Psychologist, I attended a workshop on dyslexia. At the time this was a hotly debated topic. At the extremes were those who believed it did not exist and those who believed that it arose because of identifiable differences in the human brain. At the beginning of the workshop the presenter put up a slide of a brain cross-section and asked us to comment. There were few responses. He then told us that this was the cross-section of a dog’s brain. If we couldn’t tell the difference between dog and human brains, how could we make claims about whether or not a dyslexic brain existed. We were suitably humbled.
I have felt much the same after reading, only part, of Through My Enemy’s Eyes, by Salem Munayer, a Palestinian Christian and Lisa Loden, an Israeli Messianic Jew. Both authors live in Israel and the book addresses the theological dimension of reconciliation between the two groups.
Prior to reading the book I had a hazy idea of what a Zionist is, I thought, a very clear idea of what Israeli and Jewish means and very little idea of what messianic meant in this context. I am humbled by how little I understood. And yet, I have prayed for peace in Israel Palestine, I have given decided opinions about the rights and wrongs of Israelis and Palestinian views and actions, I have read newspaper articles and listened to news bulletins.
So how has this new understanding changed me? Perhaps I am wiser, not because I know more but because I have more humility. Perhaps I have more compassion for all living in Israel Palestine and perhaps I recognise that, coming from a place where I have never been persecuted for my race or religion, or doubted which is my homeland, I must try harder to see the world through others’ eyes. And as for my prayer, it remains similar…
Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about. (Rumi)
Wendy Quill
