The Oxford Group’s Influence (part 9)

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This episode is about the third of four practices from the Oxford Group  the third practice is

3. Restitution to all whom we have wronged directly or indirectly

Obviously, this practice is directly related to the eighth and ninth step in the 12 step program. Again, at the risk of repeating myself, it is undeniable that the 12 step program, or I should say, the 12 steps, directly originated from the Oxford Group.

One of the errors that I made one approaching the eighth or ninth steps was to list those that I had harmed in a monetary way. However, the ninth step says all persons I had harmed, and the third practice in the Oxford group says, those we have wronged. When it finally sunk in of the those that I really had to make amends to, well, it really expanded the list of those to which end is to make amends.

Restitution is a repeating theme in all of the lists of the Oxford Group, as far as trying to “get right with God”, and just as important, to get right with ourselves. Doing these steps as thoroughly as possible was a huge advantage for my cleaning house. I had to look deep within to find those I had harmed in any way as results of my inappropriate behaviors. Sometimes it could be a bigger thing, such as having sex with the wrong person, or something that was seemingly innocuous, like making a sarcastic remark. All of these things had to be examined, and I had to decide who I really needed to make amends to.

Believe me, my friends, it has been so important to clean up this wreckage of my past. After many years there are still two names on that list that I have been able to approach. I just discovered that one of them has passed, so that leaves one name left. I do not have a clue where they might be today, but I may run across them some point. But, let’s not forget that these steps and practices are also included in step number 10, where I continue to take personal inventory. Being human, is change the need for me to make a man never really ends. I changed the sarcastic and sometimes at inappropriate times. I must always try to keep on top of things and make amends word necessary, in order to not add more wreckage to my past.