????? Not sure what this cartoon means Herald.
First of all, thank-you for taking the time to answer with helpful experiences from your life. Without being there, I don't know what to say about the church meetings, except that they sound like they were helpful, and are from a long tradition here in America and Canada. It's difficult to know where the preachers were coming from? If it helped bring people to the Lord, then all things work together for good--
Sometimes it's good to weep for the lost or for ourselves--
sometimes people's emotions are locked up and it's good to release those emotions...
But I think I understand what you are saying-- the Holy Spirit draws people by stirring our hearts and there's no need to beg people, but, maybe that's what those preachers felt led to do? Maybe someone there needed to hear it?
And you are right about religion and politics dividing people sadly, and you do have to learn to let it hit your umbrella, or what just came to mind with the yellow duck in my face, is I used to fly an ultralight hang-glider with another guy who always used to say about all of life's problems:
"Just let it bounce off like rain offa duck!!"
I asked him what he meant, and he said that birds in the water have a sheen of oil in their feathers and water is just repelled off as they just ruffle their feathers and repel life's problems without even being phased by them.
As far as the duck story, it is clearly for all ages, and the message is universal; Come on--
The duck persistently requests something it can not have. Probably like a child, or like many adults too.
It escalates-- and ESCALATES with each encounter! (international or social/political posturing) with the duck being "threatened" with the severe threat of being glued to the tree?
finally,
there is the showdown---
the duck and the vendor have to reach an understanding or have a shoving match--
or the police might have to be called to remove the duck for public harassment.
Then there are the legalities-- the vendor has the legal right, not to serve the duck, something that isn't even on the menu.
So, the duck is not even making a reasonable request--
But, the ice-tea vendor backs down.
think Cuban missile crisis--
and instead of picking a fight with the duck, he offers friendship to a nutty, ungrateful, neighbor--
thereby "loving his neighbor," and his potential enemy at the same time.
He even obeys the commandment of Jesus to show kindness even to those who are unreasonable and ungrateful.
So, it does apply to the debates here I think--
accepting people as they are without being judgmental, or retaliating.
It's just human nature of a fallen world to be seeking something that someone is not even really looking for, and when they get it, they are not happy and are not satisfied, or even grateful.
But the vendor obeyed the bible and welcomed the stranger, and the next time, the duck might remember that someone showed kindness and unconditional acceptance.
there's probably a hundred other behavior lessons here--
not complaining about what is offered, etc...
not sending back food that is not what was ordered, or not perfect in a world where countless millions are suffering and dying of hunger.