PROVERBS 19:11
Sensible people control their temper;
they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.
Overlooking wrongs is complicated!
A controlled temper doesn’t work unless wrongs are overlooked.
It’s easy to keep a record of wrongs, to let them build up until they create a pile under the living room carpet. Keeping the record stuffed under the carpet may, at first, appear like controlling ones temper. But beware the ticking time bomb.
A lifestyle of overlooking wrongs simplifies life immensely by not allowing tons of garbage to build up in the soul. But arriving at that lifestyle, it seems to me, is a rather complex journey.
People living this lifestyle have dealt with unhealthy and unrealistic expectations of others. They possess a broad and accurate self awareness that has provided a keen understanding of their own nature that falls far short of God’s glory. More, they understand their “hot-buttons” and have resolved the issues that created them.
These people live immersed in the love of their heavenly Father as a daily reality so that their inner security and sense of value cannot be shaken. Grace and mercy define them rather than the sharp edge of fairness or getting justice because they have experienced the death of Christ where God decisively dealt with all wrongs.
Living above wrongs ultimately demands that difficult, and seldom experienced breakthrough to the full realization and experience that life isn’t all about me, my rights, or my happiness. My life is all about God.
God, who dealt justly and mercifully with all wrongs on the cross, help me to break into the light of overlooking wrongs that you once and for all took care of. – Mike Leamon
PROVERBS
If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!
What criteria to use?
Throwing a few dollars into a street musician’s guitar case does not seem like much, but God notices. In Acts 10 Cornelius was visited by an angel who told him God had seen his contributions to the poor. Jesus told the disciples that whatever we do for the least of these we do for Him and that we may even entertain angels in our hospitality to the poor.
Growing up in a family that pushed responsibility gave me the gift of self-discipline in my spending. This built in responsibility meter goes crazy when I hear of people using charitable proceeds foolishly. I even come to the point where I hesitate to give to others out of fear they will not use what I give them responsibly.
To avoid “throwing my money away”, I establish a criteria of acceptability people must meet in order to receive my donation. Being reminded today that giving to the poor is actually giving to God helps to free me from controlling the gift. Unlike God, who offers the greatest gift ever, salvation, freely without precondition, I have tried to control how others use my generosity. When I adopt the biblical paradigm of helping the poor I understand every gift as unto the Lord liberating me from my legalistic criteria.
Generous God, I confess most of my gifts to others have been accompanied by an attitude of control. Help me to give generously both in content and attitude. Thank you for showing me how to give by giving your own Son for my salvation. – Dan Jones
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