The Enemy

Psalms 37 says to not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong. It goes on for 40 verses on how to deal with enemies. Or more accurately how to deal with the issue of why the wicked prosper and the good suffer. A lesson in Karma, in a manner of speaking.

Very recently, I’ve found myself randomly thinking about enemies. I hope I have none. As such. In college, Tenzin would often randomly burst into the room and dramatically announce that we hate some person or the other. I’ve often “hated” random people I don’t know for her. Proxy Hate? I don’t know. It was just what our friendship demanded. I don’t mind. It never really took much out of my energy or my time.

I am older now and my thoughts on enemies have become slightly more complex. For example, I have always thought that the concept of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ was very smart. However, I have begun to reconsider. I have begun to wonder if the concept is a fundamentally flawed one that can only work in combat. That or it is a very short-term solution. You can't bandy together and ally with someone based solely on the premise of hatred and common enmity for too long. 

In war, I imagine it is a good solution. But in peace time, or for a prolonged war, the internal rot will out. And spread.

I've seen this in politics all the time. But I realise it is largely the same in other areas too. The ends really do not justify the means. That is just a pretty lie we tell ourselves to justify our corrupt deeds. Big or small. Some evils you could consider negligible, and some may even be necessary. But you can’t really call an apple an orange simply because the plot demands it. A rose by any other name and all that.

Psalms 37 would go on to say: I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. I think this is the comfort Scripture has to offer us. Which is quite nice, if you think about it. Much better than unduly worrying over why the wicked prosper and the good suffer, at any rate. Besides, the Universe sees what we don’t see. A lot of people who do us wrong are suffering in areas we wouldn’t even know to wish on them. It’s not our call to exact vengeance. All that Psalms 37 would have us do is to commit our ways to God and hope in the Lord. Basically do what is right and don’t agonize over what others are doing. As much as you can, I suppose.

I think I can try.