A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense. ~
Proverbs 19:11
I have a friend who tells a story of a lesson the Lord taught him through his
wife. It seems that every time he and his wife would get in the car to travel
somewhere, his wife had a strong need to direct his driving. She would tell him
where to turn and when to turn, even in their own subdivision. It was such a
horrible habit that it drove my friend crazy and became the source of many an
argument. Finally, one day my friend concluded that the Lord was trying to teach
him something through this experience. He decided he would let go of his need to
be free from this correction. He began to affirm his wife and even thank her for
her input. It was excruciatingly painful to do this from where he sat.
A few months passed. He let go of the entire situation and actually got to a
place where it just didn't matter to him anymore. An interesting thing happened
a few months later. One day his wife looked at him and said, "John, I just
realized that I have been directing your driving all these years and now realize
why I do that. It goes back to my childhood when I had to direct my younger
brothers and sisters. I am so sorry I have been doing that." My friend nearly
fell out of his seat!
Whenever we work close to another person, whether in an office or home, small
offenses can become the source of great conflict. Resentment and irritability
soon follow. God brings these "offenses" into our lives to develop character
qualities in us. He uses individuals in our lives to accomplish his goal of
making us more Christ-like. So the next time you complain or resist a habit or
action from someone close to you, ask God if it has been placed there to develop
some quality in you.
Pride is the root source of the need to change another person. A man's wisdom
gives him patience-to let go of little offenses. This is where spiritual
maturity is seen in the day-to-day activity of life. Is there someone close to
you who has some habit you really want to change? Give up that desire to the
Lord. Who knows, He may even change it after you let go of the need to change
it.
Excerpted with permission from the book TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman,
copyright 2000, Destiny Image Publishers, Reprinted by permission. For free
daily email subscription to TGIF Today God Is First marketplace meditations,
visit www.marketplaceleaders.org (Os Hillman)
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