Good Morning All,
Why is it
that the smallest things seem to annoy us the most? Why does the drip, drip, drip of the faucet
sound so loud at 3:00 am? Why does a fly
buzzing and flying into a screen sound like someone is beating a drum? Why do these little minor events cause us
such major distress? We are such
creatures of the infinitesimal; we truly make mountains out of molehills.
We find ourselves doing it so often; it
might be with a work colleague; it might be with a fellow church member or it
may be with one of your family; we pick the smallest thing and obsess about it
and let it fester and let it build up to something larger than necessary. Some may call it nagging someone, others may
call it nitpicking but whatever you call it; it is very destructive to our relationships.
One thing that makes this so destructive is
that it has a downward spiral effect.
Once you begin to harp and nag it can be very easy for the other person
to respond in kind. Soon the speck in
our neighbor’s eye become logs on our own.
We look at the speck and we think “I hope God changes him soon.” We look at others and decide which, how many
and where these “specks” seem to be the “logs” that we imagine. If only God would fix all the people who need
help. Yet do we ever include our self in
that prayer?
God uses his Spirit to give us some chances
to change our “log” out. First, our best
response is always prayer. We need to
ask God to control our tongue and to control our thoughts. We need to ask God to forgive us and to
change us and not them.
Focus on the positive and not the
negative. Listen to what is being said
by your colleague or family member.
Listen not with just your ears but listen with your heart as well. Hear what they are saying and not just the
manner in which it is said.
If you are being tempted beyond your
tolerance, leave; quietly excuse yourself.
Say you need the bathroom; whatever it takes to break the cycle and the
spell. If the devil starts working on
you, move away so it is not so easy to play on your feelings. Make a change; move around, change the
subject, drink so water, do something to change the action.
Finally, recognize that the only thing you
can ever change is you and the way that you respond to the events around
you. God calls us to be loving and
compassionate people. He calls us to act
with love. He calls us to treat others
as we would have them treat us. This should
be our goal; this should be our aim.
Father, forgive me for all the times that I have focused on the speck
in my brother’s eye. Forgive me for when
I complained or attacked. Guide me by
your Spirit to love as you love. Help me
to reconcile with those whom I have hurt.
Help them to forgive me for the anguish I cause. Lead us to be the loving and compassionate people
that you desire us to be. In the
precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior we pray, amen
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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