Good or Evil?
Tension is flying. Kids are grabbing book bags; your spouse is rushing to work. One person, in all of the stress, complains. Then the ball starts rolling and the beginning of our day is very suddenly flying down hill with one sharp comment after another. How do we get this cycle to not be a cycle? As I am writing this, one of my teenagers is oversleeping for school. We literally have to leave in five minutes and she is still asleep. Lord, help me with this one!!!!
David lives out the perfect model. In 1 Samuel 24:1-22, David has more than an opportunity to let a derogatory go, he has a chance to bring an end to the life of one who has been hunting him down and trying to kill him. Within inches of the man’s life, he stops. Plain and simple, he just stops. When the one who was spared learns of his near death experience, he says to David “You are a better man than I am, for you repaid me good for evil. Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.”
I’m guessing, that like me, most of you are not being hunted by someone today, but most of us do encounter on a regular basis opportunity. Opportunity to give a blessing or a pay back. How will we respond today to the mouthy teen who shows disrespect? What will be our comment to the lady in front of us at the grocery store with 30 items in the 10 items or less? How about this one…I was in the “express” pay line at the post office on D-day (tax day!). The guy in front of us had many items, which the lady next to me was very unhappy about. How to respond? I just tried to give her a gentle smile back, trying to say with my eyes, “It’s going to be ok”. This weekend, let’s ask the Holy Spirit to make us very aware of the opportunities we will have to speak life or speak death. Let’s ask Him to make us His tool, to repay good for evil and as Saul said to David, “May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.” Now, off to “gently” inform the teenager that she has five minutes to get ready for school. Lord, help me to dole out your kindness!
Have a peaceful weekend!
Seriously….this happened to me today! The comments that came out of my mouth were more like…. you will be grounded, how can you do this to me, tomorrow is already half a day! So much for the kindness that i need to teach my kids! I tried at first the nice way, like grabbing clothes out of the dryer, turning on the straighter, and doing all the “help” one could do while trying to get myself to work on time. Did she go to school? NO, (of course she had a stomach ache and her arm was in severe pain from nothing she could actually figure out) So now what?? I feel she won the battle….she did not make it so school! I know have an opportunity to show her good vs evil….i hope to use this post to get me through when i get home! Did your daughter really go to school with only 5 minutes notice? How did you manage this?
Seeking peace in the morning,