Why does it bother me so much when someone says something nasty to me? Who am I to think I should have the right to snap back or to feel hurt or to retaliate? When I think how Jesus took insults, humiliation, spitting, beating, and more, and did not “come back” at his slanderers or torturers, I am ashamed. Still, I am human, and it is a human instinct to defend ourselves.
The thing I need to pray about is for the strength and peace and confidence in his love so that I can overlook or shrug off these barbs. It’s hard when we know we are right about something, or think we are right about something, to keep from saying so. It’s hard to keep from telling someone they are wrong in what they think about us. It’s really tough to pretend that insulting words or harsh words do not hurt.
But it can be borne. And I know I need help in doing that. There’s someone I know who baits me, not knowingly, but he does know how to push my buttons. I get so annoyed with myself when I take the bait and respond. I tell myself that it’s because, if I do not let him know where he is wrong, he will not learn. But, he is not my child, so I have no excuse. With our children, we are obligated to guide them to a good adulthood, while we have them with us. With adults, we do not have that obligation.
So, I will try from here on, without much hope of succeeding, I might add, to avoid rising to the bait. I will try to keep a civil tongue and during that silence when I would normally voice a sarcastic comeback, I’ll try to train myself to say a prayer for him.
Father, if I am right and this person is wrong, then please guide him for me, in whatever way he needs to go; if I am wrong and he is right, show me how to correct it.
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