Ephesians 4:25-27
Stop lying to each other; tell
the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other
we are hurting ourselves. If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your
grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry—get over it
quickly; for when you are angry, you give a mighty foothold to the
devil.
The Living Bible
copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights
reserved.
Several years ago, I discovered a little
lizard crawling on the tile floor in our master bath. I could not
imagine how that critter got there…exterior doors were on the opposite
end of the house. Then I remembered that one night as I went out the
back door, I thought I felt something brush my foot. I turned on lights
and looked around…but I saw nothing. I realized that this tiny opening
was enough for this slinky critter to scamper inside our house.
By
the same token, we have twice opened our front door and inadvertently
let in a tiny wren. You have not experienced true “fun” until you try
to catch a bird flying through your house while being chased by yourself
and two cats! Both times this happened, we had merely cracked the door
to see if it was snowing outside…and in flew the bird that had roosted
in our wreath. Needless to say, there is no longer a wreath on our
front door!
As this scripture points out, it doesn’t take much
for the devil to grab a foothold. All he needs is a crack in the door.
And that is exactly what we give him when we lie to each other, nurse a
grudge, and go to bed angry. Sometimes, the “injustices” were small and
rather ridiculous in the first place. Other times, the hurt is very
real…and it’s hard to forgive and move forward. But we Christians are
often called upon to swallow our pride and the offenses against us and
demonstrate the grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to others.
We
will be known by our love, restraint…and our overall conduct. Can’t we
make a concerted effort to show others the best of Jesus, and not our
worst? Are we really ready to go the extra mile as Christians and let
Jesus live in and through us? Will this be the day that we begin?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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