Your Neck is Key to Forgiveness!

 Probing Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare. 

I used to delivery newspapers at 5 am every morning before school. My dad would be leaving for work and many times would make me some grits and sausage. On this morning he was running late, I asked him to just show me how to make both. He said he would show me when he got home. Being a brat...I threw my hissy fit. As he walked down the hall, I flipped him off! My bedroom door had a full-length mirror on it. There I was looking at my obscene jester and my dad looking straight at me in the mirror. He went into his bedroom, came out and made me grits and sausage…never saying a word! I waited all day after school for him to come home. When he walked in the door, I ran, fell on my knees, wrapped my arms around his legs, wept and begged his forgiveness! I never, ever even thought of doing anything like that again. Pop had wisdom! 

One of the most difficult teachings that Jesus Christ brought to us was this idea… “Turn the other cheek!”  When your one desire is to strike out, do the opposite! His example speaks volumes to anyone that has ever been hit in the face. A combination of physical pain along with emotional and psychological pressure tests to the max what kind of character a person has. This makes sense and, in this day and age, where anger seems to be king over all of us, it also makes common sense! Why? Because at this time in our world, a mean look, a snide comment can get a person shot or physically attacked. 

Someone offended has now become a dangerous person more than a hurt person! We have moved from “Love Your Enemy” to being consumed by what we consider to be “My Rights!” Love your enemy is mocked and love your neighbor now depends on if you think your neighbor has earned it or not. 

This Proverb fulfills what it promises - to impart Wisdom! 

How? First - choosing the path of gentleness speaks to your maturity. Your character is choosing to live above the circumstances, which means the inner man (spiritual) is in control, not your flesh - (carnal man).  

It takes no self-control to just react to everything based on the way you feel. We really need to cease justifying our actions by how we feel! Next time you are hurt, instead of being so in love with yourself and obsessed with “how you feel”, why not be so in love with Jesus that He can love your enemy through you. Consider how that would make Jesus feel!

I will discuss several other gems of wisdom from this next devotional.

The so what?: How well do you know yourself? Do you know when anger is building? Do you hear your words or only what others are saying? Do you take time to digest your actions, or are you moving so fast you just do and move on? Have you set up a time each day to debrief yourself?