KNOW YOUR TARGET

Businesses must know their target market. Writers must know their target audience. And we all make better decisions when we consider the target of our actions.  A college religion professor set up a cardboard target  in his classroom. “Draw someone who has upset you,” he instructed. Students sketched ex-boyfriends  or girlfriends, coworkers who’d mistreated them, childhood bullies. Each,  in turn, then placed their drawing over the bulls-eye and took aim with a bow  and arrow. Afterward, the bulls-eye was riddled with holes. The students congratulated one another: until the teacher pulled  back the target, revealing Jesus’ scarred, torn face. Silence fell as he read:” Truly I tell you, just as  you did it to one of the  least of these you did it to me”  (Matthew 25:40, NRSV). In choosing actions – no matter the human target – remember who else will  be struck by your arrows. Let’s take aim with love, not hurt