THE WORD
Ephesians 4:26 – Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath
Proverbs 18:19 – A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
We as Christians are the light of the world for Jesus Christ. We are the example and outreach that people come into contact with each and every day. Without the witness and light of God in our lives, people cannot be drawn. Knowing this duty and responsibility we all share, I ask this question: Is it really worth it when we overreact and destroy our witness?
More often than not, we let our emotions and pride steer the outcome in the direction we so choose. Is it really worth it to be irrational over silly things? There are many arguments and battles that we are not in control over that are going to come up, and whether you choose to handle it correctly or not, the decision is going to be before you. Is the love of Christ being shown in what we say and do? If it is then we will not say things that we do not mean that hurt others (even when we are justified). Is it really worth that extra pat on the back? You see it in the workplace every day, while the consensus that justifies the behavior is that it is “just business”. Even though we may gain a little bit of popularity by using or taking advantage of others, I honestly do not feel that it is okay for the children of God to be on anyone’s business but God’s. We must learn to demonstrate love by being team players and not doing anything unethical or with reason to gain an advantage. If you are serving God with all of your heart, God will teach you! You can ask of him your desires and not have to pick and prod the business life!
PUT INTO PRACTICE
The next time you find yourself in a situation where you behave negatively out of your emotions take a moment and examine the choices made. Ask yourself if what you got out of your actions was really worth the expense that was invoked when the other person was hurt. You will be surprised to what you find if you approach with an honest mind and heart. And as you pray the Holy Ghost will help you learn what to do next time.