There is no question regarding the devastating emotional effects of injustice in the form of long term psychological attacks that include gang stalking and covert physical torture. It is especially hurtful when neighbors, relatives, or former friends begin to participate in these attacks. The emotional wounds inflicted are deep and often enduring. The Bible’s counsel to “continue forgiving one another freely” (Colossians 3:13) may be very difficult to apply in this case. After all, the offenders have shown no remorse, and have not offered an apology. What basis do we have to offer forgiveness? What sort of forgiveness can and should be given? How can we benefit if we do?

It is true that those who treat others in an extremely unjust way cannot escape judgement from God. And, we have the right to pursue any legal avenues available for seeking redress.  However, if you have suffered an unresolved  injustice, please consider this: Holding on to anger and resentment can be very harmful to you personally. Waiting for an admission or apology that never comes, we may only get more and more upset. Being obsessed with the injustice may keep the anger seething within us, with devastating effects on our emotional and physical health. In effect, we allow the one who hurt us to continue hurting us!

Some who value the Bible’s guidance have discovered that even in cases of extreme injustice they were able, in time, to make a decision to forgive in the sense of no longer harboring resentment. While they may not excuse the wrongdoing, they refused to be consumed with anger. “Let anger alone and leave rage.” (Psalm 37:8) This is often a wise decision. It gives us a measure of relief and we are able to get on with our lives. The ability to resolve anger within ourselves protects us mentally, emotionally and physically. It allows us to focus our precious and limited resources on the things that really matter in life.

The practical benefits of such forgiveness can be seen in the life of Eva Kor, a survivor of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments. 76 year old Kor says she has forgiven Josef Mengele, the Nazi doctor who conducted experiments on her and her twin sister, Miriam, at the Auschwitz concentration camp.

“Here I am, this little guinea pig from Auschwitz, and I have the power to forgive Josef Mengele! And he can’t do anything about it,” the diminutive, energetic woman who will turn 76 said during a recent visit to Auschwitz. “I stopped being a victim, and that makes me a very powerful person.” Indeed, for survivor Eva Kor, forgiveness is freedom!

Interestingly, some have disagreed with Kor’s forgiveness, feeling that it is improper for her to forgive such an “abhorrent monster.” However, note Kor’s response: “If they like being victims, it’s their choice,” Kor said. “I don’t want to be a victim ever again.” Yes Eva Kor has freed herself of slavery to hurt and bitterness as a result of her forgiving spirit. No doubt, that ‘freedom’ contributes to the vigorous and outgoing spirit she displays at the age of 76!

“I said, “I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence.” - Psalm 39:1,2

How should we react if we are surrounded by individuals who are intent on provoking us? That scenario is common to those who are victims of “gang-stalking” and other forms of psychological warfare. Have you given thought to the power and practical wisdom of silence? The Psalmist encourages us to put a “muzzle” on our mouth when surrounded by the wicked. In other words, to remain silent, not responding to provocation. Why is that the best possible response? Keeping silent prevents us from saying something in the heat of the moment that we may later regret. Uncontrolled, rash speech can be self-destructive. Indeed, that is the goal of the attacks we endure!

The best way to avoid saying something we may live to regret, is to simply say nothing. We are wasting our words on those who do not have our best interests at heart. Say nothing! Can you see the clear, simple logic in that? A good example in this regard is provided by Jesus Christ. When he was surrounded by false accusers looking for something in his speech to entrap him, note his response: “But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I command you by the living God to tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God!” -Matthew 26:63  Jesus discerned that his enemies were intent on finding something in his own words to entrap him. Knowing that, he simply kept silent. What a fine example!

I am writing these thoughts at 3:30AM, after being awakened by the covert use of acoustic weapons in the adjoining apartment. This is a good time to “watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin!” Rather than dwelling on thoughts that will cause me to become resentful and bitter, my mind is refreshed by focusing on upbuilding, and emotionally healthful ideas such as those contained in the Bible. There is no better way to strengthen my mind for the daily challenges I face!

There is a notable arrogant disregard for even the basic rights of fellowmen that is a constant thread through every act of humiliation, provocation and harassment endured by victims of psychological attacks that include gang-stalking and radiation weapons torture (directed energy weapons). It is hubris; a pleasure taken in the suffering of others. Modern so-called “reality” shows have taught us to enjoy being spectators in the most intimate pain and discomfort of others. When the real-life suffering of others becomes entertainment, it short-circuits the normal empathy we should feel when seeing hardship. That voyeuristic thrill is seen in the video embedded below.

When I first saw this video, it struck me at how accurately it portrays the attitudes I often see in the individuals involved in my persecution. Other victims may see the same. To those who are not victims or find it hard to believe the likelihood of such abuses, this video provides an example of the pervasive spirit that makes such extraordinary abuses possible.

“Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, without gratitude, with no loving-kindness, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with self-esteem, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power . . .” - 2 Timothy 3:1-4

“There is no challenge in life that is too hard to confront . . .”

In the Himalayan winter, without food or shelter, a human being is not expected to live longer than a week. James Scott, however, lasted 43 days. He survived extreme cold, hunger, isolation and despair, hanging on to the dwindling hope that a search team might find him, or that he could crawl out when the snow thawed. How can those of us who face long term injustices such as radiation weapons torture and “gang stalking” benefit from his lesson in survival?

James was a 22 year-old karate enthusiast, who suddenly became lost in the Himalaya Mountains when a sudden blizzard swept in, hiding his trail. He was in real danger of freezing or starving to death. He recalled having seen people in karate competitions “get slowly ground down, each blow draining them of their spirit, until . . . they became completely defenseless.” He said: “That was how I felt as I zipped up my sleeping bag and feebly ate some snow. My spirit had been crushed and all the will to live had left me. Never had I felt so defeated.”—Lost in the Himalayas.

Isn’t it true that as we face long-term injustices designed to break our will and spirit, it may feel as if we are slowly being ground down and defeated. Nevertheless, despite such seemingly overwhelming challenges, we can learn how to survive relatively intact physically, emotionally, and spiritually until a solution arrives. How? Here are two valuable tips given by survival experts that may benefit victims of ongoing injustice:

The first is to avoid worsening an already difficult situation. “Your strategy,” says The Urban Survival Handbook, “must be to avoid unnecessary risks . . . and minimize the damage caused by those you can’t avoid.” This helps us to see the wisdom of avoiding attitudes or behavior that escalate emotional harm or cause confrontation. Learn to walk away rather than cause needless conflict.

The second—and perhaps the more important—has to do with our attitude. “Survival,” says The SAS Survival Handbook, “is as much a mental attitude as physical endurance and knowledge.”

One important key to survival is maintaining a hopeful and positive outlook. Sometimes there is little you can do to escape the effect of the psychological war waged against you. However, don’t give up; don’t throw in the towel. “It is easy to let yourself go, to collapse and be consumed in self-pity” when exposed to a hostile or dangerous environment, says The SAS Survival Handbook. Do not give in to negative thoughts and emotions. You may be amazed at how much you can endure. “Men and women have shown that they can survive in the most adverse situations,” says the same handbook. How did they do it? They survived, it says, “because of their determination to do so.” Be determined not to be defeated by injustice.

James Scott, mentioned earlier, was eventually rescued from what could have become his Himalayan grave. He said that his struggle to survive had taught him at least one important lesson. What was that? “There is no challenge in life that is too hard to confront,” he said. Tim Macartney-Snape, an experienced mountaineer who was amazed that James Scott was able to survive long enough to be found alive, also drew a lesson. He said: “As long as there is any hint of hope, you must never give up.” So, no matter how dark things may appear to be, you only make matters worse if you lose hope. Never give up hope of rescue.

One more thing that I try to keep in mind:  Our stalkers and attackers take great delight in showing their pleasure at our failings, no matter how minor. If we allow our thinking to be poisoned by their view of us, it will destroy self-esteem. You will have bad days. You will make mistakes. I find the scripture at Proverbs 24:16 to be of great comfort in this regard: “The righteous one may fall even seven times, and he will certainly get up.” Yes, we “may fall,” or make mistakes frequently as we try to cope with our persecution. When that happens, the important thing is that we “get up!” Be determined to recover, learn from your mistakes if necessary and move ahead. Instead of just thinking of yourself as a general failure, pinpoint what you failed at and what caused it. This way you can do better next time. This scripture also shows the need not to take ourselves too seriously. Sometimes, you can laugh at yourself!  We all fail at times. Just be determined to restore a healthy, balanced view of yourself. This will go a long way towards protecting our mental and emotional health.

Few people today know the name Peter Buxtun. However, to a special group of illiterate Black sharecroppers in Macon County, Georgia, his name will always be associated with outstanding courage and conscience that speaks up when systemic injustice occurs. For forty years between 1932 and 1972, the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) conducted an experiment on 399 black men in the late stages of syphilis. These men, for the most part illiterate sharecroppers from one of the poorest counties in Alabama, were never told what disease they were suffering from or of its consequences. Their value lay only in the autopsies that would be conducted on their corpses after the disease was allowed to rob them of life. This cruel experiment was entitled The Tuskegee Study.

In 1966, Peter Buxtun, waiting to be admitted to Hastings Law School, got a job doing venereal disease interviews at the Public Health Department’s Hunt Street Clinic in San Francisco. He was horrified when he overheard several of his co-workers discussing the Tuskegee Study, and learned they’d been told not to treat the participants. He wrote the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in Atlanta and requested additional information. “In early November 1966, Buxtun sent Dr. William J. Brown, the director of the Division of Venereal Diseases, a letter . . . expressing grave moral concerns about the experiment. He asked whether the purpose of the experiment was to obtain information ‘on the syphilitic damage which these men were being allowed to endure.’ He also inquired if any of the men had been treated properly and whether any had been told the nature of the study. And finally, he asked, ‘are untreated syphilitics still being followed for autopsy?’”

When Dr. Brown received Peter’s letter, he was furious. He invited Peter to come to Atlanta to attend a scientific meeting at the government’s expense. When Peter arrived at the CDC, Dr. Brown escorted him into “an executive conference room with a big mahogany table surrounded by a dozen or so chairs.” Two men were waiting for him. One of them was: “. . . Dr. John Cutler, a health officer with intimate knowledge of the study.”

According to Buxtun, Dr. Cutler began to harangue him the moment they were seated. ‘He was infuriated,’ stated Buxtun. ‘He had obviously read my material, thought of me as some form of a lunatic who needed immediate chastisement and he proceeded to administer it.’ Dr. Cutler then launched an impassioned defense of the experiment, stressing, in particular, how it would benefit physicians who were treating syphilitic blacks.”

James Jones, author of “Bad Blood: The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment,”  described what happened next: “Buxtun was neither intimidated nor impressed.” He told the officials they were using blacks as “human substitutes for guinea pigs,” and warned them that the Public Health Service would be discredited if the public learned what they were doing.

Peter resigned from the PHS in 1967, and he wrote Dr. Brown another letter in November 1968. This time he warned him: “The group is 100 percent Negro. . . . This in itself is political dynamite and subject to wild journalistic misinterpretation.”

Dr. Brown showed the letter to Dr. David Sencer, the director of the CDC. Neither official thought they were doing anything wrong, but they decided to convene a “blue-ribbon panel” to evaluate the study. Dr. Gene Stollerman was chairman of the Department of Medicine at the University of Tennessee at the time, and the only member of the blue-ribbon panel who: “. . . did not have previous knowledge of the Tuskegee Study before being asked to review it.” He was . . . “the only panelist who saw the subjects as patients, and thought that they had a right to be treated.”

Everyone at the CDC supported the program and thought it should continue until the last participant was autopsied. Buxtun’s moral indignation was attributed to his youth and “generation.” Peter realized something had to be done, so he contacted a reporter and told her about the study.

She contacted her editor; he assigned another woman to the story. On July 25, 1972, the Washington Star published her article. The American people were outraged when they read about the racist project. Public health officials tried to justify the program because it was done for “science,” but no one believed them. The Tuskegee Study ended that year, forty years after it began. Every survivor received $10,000.

Recently, a group of students at Yale University and the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) were asked to define ‘courage.’ As part of their response, they described acts of courage, including (one who)  “stands up to unjust social practices because of what one thinks right.”  Would you not agree that this definition fits the actions of Peter Buxtun? Are such men of courage and conscience still needed today?

Ongoing systemic injustice by government organizations that includes psychological attacks such as ‘gang-stalking’ and the use of covert remote methods of torture on American citizens is every bit as shocking and abhorrent as the Tuskegee Study. My story and that of many other victims speaks of a systemic injustice that has been practiced for years by covert federal and local agencies. Injustice festers, spreads and weakens all strata of human society in the absence of conscience and courage.

It is our hope that men and women  of exemplary conscience and courage like Peter Buxtun still exist in our government today.

References:
The Radio Liberty Newsletter

One of the powerful lessons I have learned in facing constant psychological assaults (directed energy weapons torture and community policing based gang stalking - see My Story Begins), is the need to cultivate humility. It can help us to calmly endure hardships that would break the mightiest of men. A practical lesson in this regard was furnished by Jesus Christ on the last night of his life on earth.

Jesus knew that his disciples needed to cultivate specific qualities that would help them to work together and endure hardship. To that end, only hours before his death, he focused his energies on teaching them. One such lesson was taught by example when Jesus, although being their Teacher and Master, girded a towel and proceeded to wash the feet of each of his disciples. -John 13:3-5 This menial task was usually reserved for the lowliest servant in Jewish households of the day. However, by performing this humble act, Jesus wanted to stress by example that his disciples must willingly serve others, not “lord it over” people as was common among political leaders.

The Bible account indicates that Jesus washed the feet of all twelve of his disciples in attendance, including Judas Iscariot. Amazingly, Jesus was well aware that Judas was secretly plotting his murder! -John 13:2 Yet, he calmly washed his feet along with the others. We know that Jesus was a man of deep feelings. Can you imagine how being so close to the man who would betray him affected his emotions? How would you feel in this situation? Yet, Jesus calmly performed this humble act, without revealing what he knew to the other disciples, or allowing his emotions to get the better of him.

It is this singular act, washing the feet of a wicked betrayer that reveals to me the depth of humility found in Jesus. Why did he do it? A noble characteristic of humility is that it allows us to focus on the needs of others even as we face extreme hardship. Jesus felt that the lesson in humility he was teaching his beloved disciples, was more important than his personal feelings regarding Judas. With extraordinary humility, he washed the feet of all, including his betrayer, so that his disciples could be taught without distraction. He pushed aside his own feelings and interests to meet the needs of his disciples. He held his disciples in such high esteem, that he considered their needs more important than his own. -Phillipians 2:3,4 Do you see the lesson we can learn from this?

As victims of psychological attacks, we know that our persecutors are hoping that we will resort to extremes of anger or show terror. If you fly into a fit of rage or burst into tears and express hurt or fear, he is getting what he wants. (see Tips on Coping With Bullying). However, like Jesus, we can even be in close quarters with our persecutors and still maintain complete emotional control by cultivating humility.

One of the intended byproducts of psychological warfare is forcing the victim to become so focused on his own misery that he isolates himself from others emotionally. Such thinking makes one mentally unbalanced and prone to rash behavior. However, the beauty of humilty is that it helps us to remain focused on the interests of others in spite of our own adversities. We avoid becoming overwhelmed by our problems. Humbly serving the needs of others is one of the most emotionally healthy activities we can engage in. It is especially beneficial during times of personal crisis, as it works to protect emotional and mental health.

We can be certain that Jesus true disciples never forgot his extraordinary display of restraint and humility. It provided an appealing motivation for their own cultivation of this priceless quality. Can you see how cultivating humility in imitation of Jesus can help you?

“We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” - Viktor E. Frankl, Neurologist, Author and Holocaust survivor

An Additional Comment

There is another vital lesson that came to mind as I reflected on the example Jesus set in washing the feet of his betrayer, Judas. The truly kindhearted person can display kindness even toward the unappreciative.  Genuine kindness is not hypocritical, or merely a thin veneer of politeness and courtesy that quickly dissipates when others are rude.

I am intensely concerned that the daily barrage of rudeness that confronts me never darkens my heart. Writing this blog is a constant reminder that I must follow the advice I pass on to others! Far more than any physical or psychosomatic  harm my persecutors may cause, I worry about losing my humanity. Losing the ability to feel genuine love for my fellow man is the price I simply cannot pay. Reflecting on and sharing the positive lessons I learn through these writings helps me to hold on to that most precious of possessions—love of neighbor.

“You must love your neighbor as yourself.”—Matthew 22:39

Whether done by ten-year-old children in a schoolyard, or by adults in organized campaigns of psychological attacks, bullying is bullying! I found an article that offered children tips on coping with bullys. However, they can apply just as well to adult victims of directed energy weapons torture and community policing based gang-stalking. The excerpt is posted below. I hope you find it useful!

Help for the Victims

Victims of bullying, particularly the young, face a difficult challenge—that of maintaining balance under pressure. When someone bullies you, he is probably eager to throw you off balance emotionally. He is hoping that you will resort to extremes of anger or show terror. If you fly into a fit of rage or burst into tears and express hurt or fear, the bully is getting what he wants. So he may try to provoke the same reaction again and again.

What can you do? Consider the following suggestions. They are written primarily with the young in mind, but the principles may also apply to adults dealing with bullies.

▪ Keep cool. Don’t give in to rage. The Bible wisely advises: “Let anger alone and leave rage.” (Psalm 37:8) When your temper is out of control, you give the bully power over you, and you are likely to do things you will only regret.—Proverbs 25:28.

▪ Try to put thoughts of revenge out of your mind. Vengeance often backfires. At any rate, revenge is not really satisfying. One girl, who was beaten up by five youths when she was 16 years old, recalls: “I decided in my heart, ‘I will get even with them.’ So I got some help from my friends and took revenge on two of my attackers.” The result? “I was left with an empty feeling,” she says. And her own conduct worsened afterward. Remember the Bible’s wise words: “Return evil for evil to no one.”—Romans 12:17.

▪ When things appear to be getting heated, get away quickly. The Bible says: “Before the quarrel has burst forth, take your leave.” (Proverbs 17:14) In general, try to steer clear of those who tend to bully. Says Proverbs 22:3: “Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.”

▪ If bullying persists, you may need to speak up for yourself. Choose a moment when you are calm, look the bully in the eye, and speak in a firm, level voice. Tell him that you don’t like what he is doing—that it is not funny and that it hurts. Do not resort to insults or challenges.—Proverbs 15:1.

▪ Talk to a responsible, caring adult about the bullying. Be specific about the problem, and ask for help in handling it. Do the same in your prayers to God, and this can be a wonderful source of help and comfort.—1 Thessalonians 5:17.

▪ Remember that you have value as a person. The bully might want you to think that you don’t matter, that you deserve to be treated badly. But he is not your judge. God is, and he looks for the good in each of us. It is the bully who becomes less worthwhile by resorting to such conduct.

In perhaps one of the least surprising scientific findings to any victim of organized bullying (such community policing based gang stalking), researchers have discovered that bullies brains are wired to feel pleasure when watching others being hurt. This came as a surprise to reseachers. They “expected that the bullies would show no response when they witnessed pain in somebody else—that they experience a sort of emotional coldness . . .” The research showed that they actually derived pleasure from the suffering of others.

As a long-term victim of directed energy weapons torture and community policing based gang-stalking, I can certainly attest to this through personal observation. Persecutors employed as “gang-stalkers” or harassers will often study a victim’s face hoping to see signs of pain or sadness. They often laugh or smirk as they go about the task of inflicting psychological suffering on others. They have learned to replace empathy with a perverse pleasure from the suffering of their victims.

Is it unreasonable to call this transformation in a bullies mind a perversion? Above all, it highlights the wisdom for a victim, of never returning “evil for evil” to anyone. To do so, perverts the natural empathy in the victim’s brain. His mindset becomes the virtual twin of his tormentor when he begins to find pleasure in vindictiveness and retaliation. Responding to evil with “good” is the best response, protecting the brain from developing an unhealthy thirst for voyeuristic pain.

“Return evil for evil to no one. Provide fine things in the sight of all men. If possible, as far as it depends upon YOU, be peaceable with all men.” - Roman 12: 17-18

Additional References:
Brain Scan Shows Bullies Enjoy Others Pain - Washington Post

One of the most amazing displays of physical control was furnished by Charles Blondin in the latter half of the 19th century. He crossed Niagara Falls a number of times, first in 1859, on a tightrope 1,100 feet long and 160 feet above the water. After that, he did so each time with a different display of his ability: blindfolded, in a sack, trundling a wheelbarrow, on stilts, and carrying a man on his back. To maintain such balance required extremely great physical self-control. Due to the achievements his superb physical control made possible, Blondin was rewarded with both fame and fortune.

As any victim of government sponsored directed energy weapons torture and psychological attacks (including community policing based “gang-stalking”) is well aware, one of the greatest challenges we face is maintaining self control. The daily barrage of humiliating actions we undergo are designed to provoke us, luring us into self-destructive behavior. However, like a skilled tightrope walker, we must cultivate self-control. Indeed, our very survival is dependent on staying in firm control of our emotions and actions. That can be a challenge, as the desire to retaliate in some way may at times seem overpowering. To counter such ill-advised thinking, we may need to adjust our attitude and view self-control as the superior response, a facet of our true inner strength.

Sadly, popular entertainment glorifies the “hero” that answers all provocation and ill treatment with an outburst of violence, vanquishing his enemies as the admiring audience cheers him on. Unlike movie violence, real-life retaliation often carries severe, life changing penalties and losses. The person who keeps himself under control is better equipped to make decisions that are in his best long-term interests. Those who lose control of their emotions, giving in to anger, often live to regret the outcome of their actions.

Do you see self-control as your strength? Not merely control of your actions. This includes controlling your emotions as well. Unless we highly value the ability to rein in our emotions, we will develop grudges and bitterness which lead to outbursts of anger. We will also damage our health, and healthy relationships, compounding the effects of the psychological attacks we undergo.

“By over-responding to conflict and not trusting others, hostile people might also be at risk because they don’t benefit physiologically from their social relationships; People most prone to anger were almost three times more likely to have a heart attack than those with low anger in a recent study of 12,986 participants…” - Angry Thoughts, At-Risk Hearts, Monitor on Psychology (American Psychological Association)

In view of the foregoing, it is vital that we divest ourselves of the perverse admiration of “good guy” violence and retaliation often seen in movies, and see the tremendous benefits that developing self-control can bring us. Such self-control is a measure of true masculinity and emotional maturity, that will contribute to greater success in all facets of life.

For a skilled tightrope walker like Charles Blondin, a loss of self-control while performing could have meant great physical harm or even death. Is it really any different for us as victims of psychological warfare? When we highly value and cultivate self-control, we protect our health, and may well preserve our lives. Therefore, view self-control as your strength!

“He that is slow to anger is better than a mighty man - Proverbs 16:32

One of the core psychological objectives of covert, government sponsored, “gang-stalking” and directed energy weapons torture is to attack and destroy the self-worth of targeted individuals. In essence, the constant barrage of humiliation, torture, and ill treatment we undergo carries an insidious yet powerful message: “You are worthless . . . You deserve to be treated with contempt . . . You have no value.” These subtle messages, over time, subvert healthy self-esteem, speeding up the likelihood of the victim resorting to self destructive behavior or even suicide. To remain emotionally healthy, the victim must disconnect his self-worth from the opinions of his persecutors. We must not measure ourselves by the views of a group that does not have our best interests at heart. For many, however, that can be a challenge.

If the highest authority in your life is a human government, where do you turn for help when that authority becomes the source of cruel injustice, victimizing you or your loved ones? Truthfully, those who cannot see beyond human authority have nowhere to turn! It is, no doubt, a crushing burden for them to know that they have no alternative, no higher power that can be trusted. However, for those who have a firm belief in a loving and concerned Creator, it is quite different. We can appeal to and derive comfort from a higher, uncorruptable authority. That authority, our God, becomes our salvation when all human authority fails us.

One of my favorite sources of comfort is a Bible passage that quotes directly from the Son of God, Jesus Christ, regarding how God feels about us personally. “Do not two sparrows sell for a coin of small value? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without YOUR Father’s [knowledge]. But the very hairs of YOUR head are all numbered. Therefore have no fear: YOU are worth more than many sparrows.” -Matthew 10:29-31

Think of what that means. In Jesus’ day the sparrow was the cheapest of the birds sold as food to the poor. If God places such value on a single sparrow, of how much greater worth is a human! As Jesus explained, he knows every detail about us. Why, the very hairs of our head are numbered! Knowing that God values us so highly as individuals (in spite of our imperfection and sinful nature) is a source of great strength and courage to me. It provides a solid basis for soundly rejecting the opinions of my persecutors, and protecting my mental health in the process.

Viktor E. Frankl, a neurologist and Holacaust survivor who studied the impact of long term injustice on concentration camp inmates and survivors, noted that the knowledge that there “is a meaning in one’s life” is critical to survival. Knowing that God values me personally gives my life meaning. It is the key to my success in surviving the decade of psychological warfare I have endured. Developing a keen awareness of how our Creator values us personally can helps us to transcend any suffering we may undergo.