Smack

I don’t normally mind when people talk smack about me. I dish it out, I better be able to take it. Even when the person really doesn’t like me very much, I don’t usually mind. In fact, it usually makes me laugh. What really bothers me is when people talk smack about people I care about. OMG! Have you ever been so mad that you laughed? It’s either laugh or kill someone. That’s how I was today at work.

But then I really started thinking. I was reminded today of a story told by the former teaching pastor at Lake Pointe, JR Vassar. When he was younger, he worked at a store like Gap or something like that. He stood at the door and greeted people as they walked in. One day, a guy walked in and JR greeted him, but the guy ignored him. JR was sort of thinking the guy was just a jerk. But as he watched him, the other guy walked up to someone and started signing in sign language. The guy wasn’t a jerk, he was just deaf. It’s amazing how differently you look at people when you understand their condition.

So I guess that’s how I have to look at this situation. It seems like this person was being a big jerk. But when I consider her condition, I look at her differently. Does it still make me mad? Well, honestly, yeah. It does. But I have an opportunity to handle this in a way that reflects Christ. Will I have the courage? Maybe, maybe not. If nothing else, I can free myself from the anger I might otherwise feel. And considering this quote by Frederick Buechner, that might not be a bad idea… “Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back -- in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself. The skeleton at the feast is you.”

And then I found some scripture. Let’s look at Luke 6:27-38. “‘But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amounts. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure – pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measure to you in return.’”