My youngest daughter witnessed some violence on the street, while walking to her cello lesson after school yesterday.
The victim didn’t get hurt, but it was still a shock because it was a man in a suit kicking one of three teenage girls. And my daughter knew them from school.
Further shock to her was the vile language all of them were exchanging.
But being a teenager herself, she had no idea how to react to the injustice.
She couldn’t believe that four other adult bystanders did nothing.
Not unusual in a city of 2 million.
Today she talked to one of them at school and found out the cause: Basically the three girls were (illegally) riding the same e-scooter and passed by the man on the bike a bit too close for his comfort. So, the man turned his bike around and began berating them with his foul tongue. The mouthiest member of the teenage girls responded with some sharp words of her own, triggering the guy to charge and kick the girl. He eased up at the last second blunting his blow, probably because he realized the criminal nature of the act while in the act.
I picked her up from cello and she told me all about it as we walked home.
Her main question: What should I have done?
She saw only two options: Nothing (like she did) or engage the attacker.
My humble advice:
“We are Christians, so violence isn’t an option, but neither is doing nothing. God can show us a third way through the Holy Spirit. Usually this works as a distraction that sobers the rage. For example, you could have pulled out your phone from a distance and said, ‘I am recording this situation for everyone’s safety!’ This could wake them up, helping them to see their actions from the outside. It both defuses the situation and keeps you at a safe distance.”
I let her know that this is just an idea.
I read many such “third way” stories in a book by a now-infamous theologian. Each story illustrated Christians responding with incredible distractions that protected both the potential victim and the potential perp.
This book was in the back of my mind in our chat.
But for writers, you probably see email as an all-or-nothing dilemma, too.
Write a value-packed, magnum-opus email OR nothing at all.
There IS a third and much better way.
Scroll down to my done-with-you option on my sales page and you will discover my third way.
https://blairjohnlee.substack.com/p/done-for-you-email-course
Blair
P.S. If you have been paying attention to my emails. You will know the answer.