It all happened so quickly. One on top of the other.
The first was at the Costco gas pumps. The second was on the golf course. Both by people I didn’t know. Both accusing me of something I didn’t do.
In both cases, I stood stunned, and then started to defend myself: first by denying their allegations, then by pointing out their error, then by . . . I could keep going, but you could probably guess what the result was — nothing changed. In fact, the more I engaged, the more they dug their heels in until finally I just turned away.
However, I didn’t let it go. I kept working it over and over in my head—what I should have said, what I could have said, what I would say next time. Then, I related the incident to more people than I care to admit, gathering allies in my quest to be right.
In other words, I invested a lot of time and energy into these two events. Which is why I think God had me experience them. This has always been my mode of operandi. And it is not Biblical.
It did turn me to the Bible, though, to see how exactly I should have handled the situations. And it is plain to see, I didn’t handle either correctly.
We are told . . .
To pray for those who mistreat or persecute us. (Luke 6:28; Romans 12:19)
To turn the other cheek. (Matthew 5:38-39)
But we are shown these principles through Jesus’s own life. He demonstrated forgiveness and mercy throughout his ministry. He prayed for his accusers and persecutors. During his sham of a court case, he remained silent. And on the cross he forgave them.
Abby McDonald of Proverbs 31 Ministries, wrote a blog entitled “Laying Down the Need to Defend Ourselves.”
In it she quotes 1 Peter 3:9:“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing”
Then she summed up her thoughts by getting to the heart of the matter. “But when we let God take His rightful place as our Defender and respond to others in His love, something beautiful happens. Instead of the focus being on us, it turns to Him. People are drawn to God in us instead of being repelled — because they notice something contrary to the me-first attitude our culture promotes."
Thank you, Abby. Lesson learned.
The first was at the Costco gas pumps. The second was on the golf course. Both by people I didn’t know. Both accusing me of something I didn’t do.
In both cases, I stood stunned, and then started to defend myself: first by denying their allegations, then by pointing out their error, then by . . . I could keep going, but you could probably guess what the result was — nothing changed. In fact, the more I engaged, the more they dug their heels in until finally I just turned away.
However, I didn’t let it go. I kept working it over and over in my head—what I should have said, what I could have said, what I would say next time. Then, I related the incident to more people than I care to admit, gathering allies in my quest to be right.
In other words, I invested a lot of time and energy into these two events. Which is why I think God had me experience them. This has always been my mode of operandi. And it is not Biblical.
It did turn me to the Bible, though, to see how exactly I should have handled the situations. And it is plain to see, I didn’t handle either correctly.
We are told . . .
To pray for those who mistreat or persecute us. (Luke 6:28; Romans 12:19)
To turn the other cheek. (Matthew 5:38-39)
But we are shown these principles through Jesus’s own life. He demonstrated forgiveness and mercy throughout his ministry. He prayed for his accusers and persecutors. During his sham of a court case, he remained silent. And on the cross he forgave them.
Abby McDonald of Proverbs 31 Ministries, wrote a blog entitled “Laying Down the Need to Defend Ourselves.”
In it she quotes 1 Peter 3:9:“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing”
Then she summed up her thoughts by getting to the heart of the matter. “But when we let God take His rightful place as our Defender and respond to others in His love, something beautiful happens. Instead of the focus being on us, it turns to Him. People are drawn to God in us instead of being repelled — because they notice something contrary to the me-first attitude our culture promotes."
Thank you, Abby. Lesson learned.
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