Responding Well
As my daughter was telling me how someone had said something that had hurt her feelings and was unkind, I once again had the opportunity of teaching her the principle that we can not control how people treat us but we can control how we treat people. Someone may say unkind things to you, but that does not give you the right to say unkind things back. Jesus when he was reviled….He reviled not. When he was threatened…He threatened not. How at times I have been so challenged with this in my own life. I find myself wanting to go toe to toe and “throwing down”. How unlike Christ. I am ashamed.
I hear missionaries share with me how they said this or wanted to say that to a pastor or church member and I am thinking, “that is not Bible.” How we laugh at them, make fun of them or say, “If I pastored, this is what I would do. My church would never be like….” Where has death to ourselves and the Christ life gone? Have we grown bitter? Do we deserve their time, money and prayers? Do we feel that when a meeting is cancelled that it is a personal attack against us? Have we become so focused on ourselves that we can not see others?
I can not control the economy. I can not control love offerings or the lack thereof. I can not control what people say about me. I really can not control much. There is one thing which I do have control, myself. May we make a commitment today to take care how we respond and react that it may be such as would bring glory to our Savior.
May the missionaries of Macedonia have the testimony that they respond well.
Bro. Tony
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Very challenging post Tony, thank you.