To Make Life Miserable!

Do you remember your school days? For the most part, school was ok, but then there were those days that you wished you could just disappear.   Remember that one student or that one group of students or classmates that you wished you could always avoid? The bullies? The ones who in a perfect day, could make your life miserable?  Remember that particular teacher that you wished you would never get? The one with exacting standards or so boring a snail would sleep, or the one who just didn't care. Then there were those who talked and it was like fingernails grating on a chalkboard. All of these seemed to exist to make life miserable for you and everyone else that they came in contact with.  And that was and is a shame.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear

Eph 4:29

Unfortunately, it seems that we can never escape the classroom. We get to a point where things seem to be going good, and then this person enters our life, whose mission is to make it miserable. No help is offered, no kindness given, no grace extended.  Just demands, their needs and wants, their dominance, etc. is all that matters.  You are the peon and their existence in life is to let you know that this is what you always are and will be.  Such it was with Jesus and the "leaders" of his day, "Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.(Jn.9:16)."  They do not exist to listen but to tell - command - demand,  your thoughts do not matter, they are right and you are wrong.

Jesus taught,  "And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. (Mt.5:40,41)." Kindness and grace are not the ways of the world, because to the world these are weaknesses. Where spiritual treasure matters, Paul wrote,  Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,  bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  Col 3:12,13. 

What about me - you?  Do we show others compassion and kindness? Do we offer the cup of cold water should they thirst or the piece of bread when they hunger? Am I humble and try to work with someone, or do I demand? Do I look for and find the good? Do I show others patience in a world of chaos?  Do I forgive when I am wronged as Jesus forgives me?

We have a choice for today. We can either exist to make life and someone else's life miserable, or we can exist to build, edify and speak grace to those who would listen. To put another stick on the breaking back of the camel, or to ease the burden and walk with someone to carry it.  So, what has been our purpose today?  If you are burdened - so is someone else. Being burdened does not give us the justification to make someone else's burden heavier.  Have your words and attitudes been grace to those you have encountered today? Or have you been that teacher that everyone dreads, that bully that people try to avoid?

"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.." 

2Ti 1:8, 9

Jim