Colossians 3:13a NLT
In Texas, someone who consistently offends or irritates you is commonly known as someone who 'plucks your last nerve.' Have you ever known someone like that? I'm not talking about the occasional pluck. I'm talking about the ones who repeatedly pluck your last nerve. Perhaps like the one who sits nearby and slurps every sip of coffee. EVERY sip... ALL.DAY.LONG...
Every time you see them, you know they are going to pluck you like a chicken. In fact, so much so that you get to the point you only have to see them and you can feel it rising up in you... It's as though their only purpose in life is to irritate the living fire out of you. It's their standard procedure.
The Truth is, that very well may BE their only purpose in your life. They are a gift from God to help you in your quest to be like Jesus.
How do we learn to be like Jesus? How do we learn to live as He lived? How do we love like He loves - by loving our best friends? That's easy to do. What about the proverbial nerve plucker? Do we love them? We certainly have ample opportunity with them to "make allowances for each other's faults."
Jesus set the standard procedure for dealing with these kinds of people. He dealt with them. Yes, sir, He sure did! A few swift blows - no, not to them, to Him! A few swift blows and He was nailed to the Cross, where He cried out on their behalf, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!" The second part of verse 13 in our text reads, "Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."
Yes, that's the right standard procedure.
Prayer:
Father,
Let us rise to Your standards. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. We want to love as You love. Help us, O Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
In Texas, someone who consistently offends or irritates you is commonly known as someone who 'plucks your last nerve.' Have you ever known someone like that? I'm not talking about the occasional pluck. I'm talking about the ones who repeatedly pluck your last nerve. Perhaps like the one who sits nearby and slurps every sip of coffee. EVERY sip... ALL.DAY.LONG...
Every time you see them, you know they are going to pluck you like a chicken. In fact, so much so that you get to the point you only have to see them and you can feel it rising up in you... It's as though their only purpose in life is to irritate the living fire out of you. It's their standard procedure.
The Truth is, that very well may BE their only purpose in your life. They are a gift from God to help you in your quest to be like Jesus.
How do we learn to be like Jesus? How do we learn to live as He lived? How do we love like He loves - by loving our best friends? That's easy to do. What about the proverbial nerve plucker? Do we love them? We certainly have ample opportunity with them to "make allowances for each other's faults."
Jesus set the standard procedure for dealing with these kinds of people. He dealt with them. Yes, sir, He sure did! A few swift blows - no, not to them, to Him! A few swift blows and He was nailed to the Cross, where He cried out on their behalf, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!" The second part of verse 13 in our text reads, "Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others."
Yes, that's the right standard procedure.
Prayer:
Father,
Let us rise to Your standards. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. We want to love as You love. Help us, O Lord. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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