Defuse

"A man's wisdom gives him patience, it is to his glory to overlook an offense."  Proverbs 19:11

"Ouch!", I said to myself.  The words that were being spoken were not only disrespectful, they were false, insulting and demeaning.  I just kept reminding myself of the truth that God is my Defender.  Any attempt on my part to fight for me would have expressed that I thought I was the big deal.  The Lord reminded me very clearly in that moment that it was not about me.  So, I kept still and watched God do what only he could do.

We humans tend to operate from a fundamentally self-centered perspective.  The writer of the verse for the day nailed squarely on the head two symptoms of the self-focused life: impatience and defensiveness.  From a Biblical perspective, there are two things that are true of those who move away from these normal reactions. They are wise. They are esteemed in the eyes of others.

Today, you will be tested. Opportunities to be impatient and easily offended will repeatedly cross your path. The more life becomes about Jesus, the more likely you will respond to those situations with divine dignity and amazing grace.

Grace and Peace,

Tom
Location: Fall Creek Christian Church, 1102 West 700 South, Pendleton, IN 46064, USA

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