An early follower once heard Oyasama say:<\/p>\n
\u201cSuppose that ninety-nine out of a hundred people are bad and that the one hundredth person is good. Is the bad stronger than the good or the good stronger than the bad? The good of one person is stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMasui Rin oboegaki\u201d (Rin Masui: a memoir), Ogata Daikyokai shi shashin shu<\/em> (A photographic collection recording the history of Ogata Grand Church), p. 19<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
During a lunch break, you are playing catch with a colleague at work. If you throw the ball in a way that makes it easy for him to catch it, he is likely to throw it back to you in like manner. On the other hand, if you throw a fastball to show off your power and prove that you are better, he will probably do likewise.<\/p>\n
Interpersonal relationships work like that.<\/p>\n
Speaking kindly to people can help them take a friendly attitude. Speaking harshly to them can provoke harsh words from them. If you try to force your opinions on people, they will probably become antagonistic toward you. It is easy to make people angry. All you need to do is say or do something out of spite, and they will go into attack mode.<\/p>\n
One tricky thing is that in real life there can be exceptions. Even if we act with kindness and sincerity, we may be misunderstood or unfairly judged.<\/p>\n
It is not easy to maintain a loving and accepting attitude. It takes strength to be kind and loving, for we need to accept and embrace whatever comes our way. Some seem to think that loving-kindness is weak, but it is strong.<\/p>\n
Oyasama\u2019s loving-kindness includes incomparable strength. She practiced charity even when She and Her family were living in poverty. She gave away anything She could to whomever was in need\u2014although, far from being praised for this, She was often ridiculed and verbally abused. She was also persecuted by the authorities. Yet She remained completely unaffected. For example, when an arresting policeman came to the Residence, She offered him a meal. Also, when She was detained in a police station, She tried to buy a cake for Her guard out of kindness.<\/p>\n
Although She was repeatedly ill-treated, She responded each time by remaining perfectly calm and collected. \u201cEven those who oppose Me are My beloved children,\u201d She would say. Indeed, Her warm parental love knows no bounds and embraces all people. She is like a spring breeze in the middle of winter.<\/p>\n
Oyasama\u2019s infinite strength and loving-kindness touch us deeply.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
An early follower once heard Oyasama say: \u201cSuppose that ninety-nine out of a hundred people are bad and that the one hundredth person is good. Is the bad stronger than the good or the good stronger than the bad? The good of one person is stronger.\u201d \u201cMasui Rin oboegaki\u201d (Rin\u2026<\/p>\n