Terry Bell’s Blog

A diving instructor opened his first day of lessons by giving a speech on “how to survive a shark attack.” His eager listeners paid close attention. “If two of you are diving together (and you should always dive with a buddy) go to the bottom and sit back to back. As the shark circles, pull out your knife and stare the shark in the eyes.
At just the right moment, just before the shark attacks, turn quickly around and cut your buddy’s air hose. Remain still for a minute or so. Then, when the shark is focused on your buddy’s escape, swim like crazy.” This story would be funny if it weren’t so true in regard to our everyday behavior.
When it all comes down to it, there are basically two domains in the world. One is the domain of the sharks, characterized by self-enhancement and self-preservation. The other is the Kingdom of God; the essence and life-force of this Kingdom is Agape.
The great poet, Shelly, saw human rejuvenation rooted in love. “The great secret of morals is love; or a going out of our own nature and an identification of ourselves with the beautiful which exists in a thought, action, or person not our own” (Defense of Poetry).
(quoted from the Love Ethic: Rediscovering our Moral Compass, by Terry Bell, Advantage Books)
© [Terry A Bell] and [The Love Ethic], [2009]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Terry Bell and [The Love Ethic] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.