Stealing Notebooks

notebook.gifShe dashes out of his room yelling “Nooooo!!” and clutches the notebook and crayon … again. Caught in a corner, she wails as he slaps her arm. She screams and hits back, tightening her grip on the notebook. Unperturbed, he slaps her again. Hit, slap, hit, slap … finally, with tears flowing, they both scream at me for a solution.





Where was I you ask? Watching the whole thing and wondering who was wrong, why, and how to exact justice.

“For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment. 
Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. 
But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.”

If others talk about me behind my back or take something from me (that is theirs for example), or … slap me for taking their notebook, I get ‘no credit’ – I’m not a martyr, suffering innocently at the hands of evil people. I deserve it.  Call it ‘reality discipline’ if you like. There are consequences for my actions. Grace- yes, but also consequences.

Romans 8:17-18 became real and applicable to me this week.

Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable. 
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

This week, I responded to someone ‘taking my notebook’ by ‘slapping’ them. Later I found out they didn’t even take my notebook – I just thought they did.  …double ouch. 
Had I handled the ‘taking my notebook’ in a peaceful, honourable way, I wouldn’t have had to eat that piece of humble pie…

I’m noticing that to ‘do what you know is right’ and ‘do all that you can to live at peace with everyone” takes a whole lot of humility – more than I have.  

God probably designed it that way on purpose...  








4 comments:

MTJ said...

Hi Kim,

Like you, I'm discovering that Humility Road though not perilous, is nonetheless a difficult trek. I fight against being humble and I ask, "What is my craving for attention about?"

I'm thankful that the Holy Spirit is exposing these attitudes and tendencies within me; that I may surrender and offer them up in sacrifice to the Lord.

There are still many lessons to be learned as I journey forward.

Blessings and peace.

MTJ

From The Heart Online said...

Hmm. Interesting that you say it is not perilous... Food for thought :)

MTJ said...

Hi Kim,

Perhaps I'm being naive by saying "I find the path of humility a difficult but not perilous journey" because I've encountered more obstacles than fears. Humility for me is a different walk because the challenges I face are the ones that I've always valued most: my ego, pride, self-confidence, and arrogance. The real obstacle I face in humility is me, I get in the way.

Blessings and peace.

MTJ

From The Heart Online said...

I don't know that it's naivity .. I thought it was interesting because I've viewed it as a 'perilous journey' - that at any moment I'll use up God's grace and patience, and finally get what this stupid pride deserves. There is freedom in your comment - freedom to accept grace from my Loving Father - freedom to come as a continuing screw-up, freedom to keep trying. I sure hope it's more true than naive... :D