By Pat
Many times in my life I have allowed the actions of others to dictate my actions. Have you? For instance, when I was yelled at, I yelled back. ("But you yelled first!") When someone was angry at me, I became angry with them. ("Well, I wasn't angry until you got angry!") When someone has been argumentative, I have argued back. ("You started it!")
It's difficult sometimes to swallow pride, zip lips and walk away. We want to be right, so we blame the other person for making us behave in a way unacceptable to God. We justify our bad behavior by pointing out that WE didn't start it. But that doesn't make us right, does it? The bad actions of others is never justification for our own bad actions. We are called to show others what God looks like, but we can't do that unless we rise above the temptation to return fire. We can never show the world what God looks like unless we allow Him complete control of our thoughts, words and deeds...especially when we are provoked, hurt or wronged. It is NOT okay for us to retaliate. Proverbs 16:32 says, "Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city." And Proverbs 21:23 advises, "He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity."
This is something I have to fight frequently, the impulse to feel that I am in the right, and I admit that I often go to great means to prove my rightness! Shame on me. I want to win! But I know that in God's eyes, the winner is the one who can walk away calmly. Using the actions of others as an excuse to act in an un-Godly manner is never acceptable.
Jesus shows us the way to behave when provoked time and time again. I am quite certain that when I am face-to-face with God, the only behavior He will want to discuss in mine, and He will not let me use the world as a gauge for how I acted. And so, I will try harder each day to follow the example set by the Lord, and be a winner in His eyes...the only eyes that matter!
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to revenge; I will repay," says the Lord. (Romans 12:18-19)
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)
Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.