Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Offender

The act of inflating myself helps me to see how worthless I truly am. My only worth comes from what Christ has done in me. Deep down, I know that whatever attacks that someone makes on me are warranted because I am a sinner. Being a sinner means failing to give the glory to God. I fail in this constantly. Any comments that someone makes about myself should be viewed as valid but also needs to be balanced with the fact that God the Father has forgiven me for all my sins and it doesn't matter what a person says about me because God accepts me on the basis, not of what I have done but on what Christ has done for me.

How do I react to someone who has offended me? I can pray for them. "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven...Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" Matthew 5:44-45a, 48.

This means I need to be patient and kind to my enemies and not be jealous if God blesses them. I don't need to be arrogant if they stumble or say something in ignorance. I need to care about what shows them the love of Christ and to bring them to Him. I don't need to take into account if they do something hurtful to me. I don't need to take pleasure in self-righteousness and puffing myself up over them but in the righteousness of Christ. I need never get tired of this person being around or forgiving them. I need to believe them when they say something positive about themself. I need to hope that they are saved and become like Christ and patiently endure their mistreatment (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

No comments: