Merciful Monday: Be Gentle

Just yesterday I was talking to some friends about someone that has really been trying me lately. This person has been getting under my skin to the point where I anticipate being angry after every encounter with them. The worst part about it is that that this person is a leader to whom I have to submit often. When discussing this issue yesterday I said that I was hoping that this person would say something crazy to me so that I would have a justified reason for going off on them. I was basically hoping to be provoked so that I could act rashly and not feel bad about it after.

As Titus 3 says, as believers we should always be obedient and ready to do good. We should avoid quarreling and slander, but instead be gentle and full of humility. In my situation, I was not ready to do good…actually I was ready for quite the contrary. I was ready to quarrel and I was ready to hit below the belt (in a way that some may consider slanderous lol).

This is why the Bible is so important to me. It constantly reminds me of how to conduct myself as a Christian should; and these reminders come in simple forms that don’t feel like a list of Do’s and Don’ts. In a way this reminds me of talks with my grandmother. She always says “Advice is cheap. You can either take it or leave it” then she proceeds to say what she has to say and leave it alone. Similarly, one purpose of the Bible is to advise and convict us. Ultimately we choose whether to consult the source (the Bible) and whether to follow the advice given, fully knowing that we should follow God’s advice above all else.

While I can’t say that it will be easy to treat this person with humility and gentleness (when in my opinion they are quite proud and a lot of their actions are blatantly disrespectful), I am willing to try and I know that I can always pray if I need help. Furthermore, it’s not all about my feelings, because I don’t know what that person is going through to cause them to act the way they do.  

This was particularly on time for me. Now not only do I know how I should react when I face this person again, but how to help someone else should they encounter a similar situation. I’m sure you can think of an instance when this happened to you or maybe to a friend. Be a friend that gives godly advice and tell them what Titus 3:1-2 says, or send them the link to this page! Knowledge of the word is power, people!

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Merciful Mondays: Jael

^“For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.” Deuteronomy 4:31