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What if that person you think very highly of suddenly interrupts you mid-sentence with no "I'm sorry", "Excuse me" or some other fancy word?
What if your best friend hurts you, makes you feel less and depressed with some evil thoughts growing inside you? Hate, anger, resentment, malice, bitterness, spite.
Sound familiar?
Almost everyone has at some point in time experienced this and harboured these thoughts.
Let's diagnose this heart issue:
First things first: What if I told you that you and I have no right to get offended? It is the truth.
None of us on this earth is perfect or Holy.
There is only one perfect and righteous God, and everything evil and unrighteous done by anybody is done unto Him.
So, when people offend you, they are in fact offending God, not you. So when somebody cuts you off, is rude to you, insults you, etc, if it is done sinfully, it is being done to God, and you (or I) have no right to be offended.
Now respect: Yeah, we all deserve to be treated and to treat one another like the humans made in God's image that we are. But yes, all of us has at some point in time intentionally or unintentionally disrespected someone and we also have been disrespected.
Why do we need respect? Why do we desire to be respected?
Because it makes us feel good and appreciated (in some weird way) is the more obvious answer.
What I'm trying to show you is this: Our identities are misplaced and found in the wrong things.
We find our identity in people and things. We find our identity in how much people respect you and treat you.
That people don't treat you good is no reason to feel bad or feel you're less important.
That someone interrupts you, cuts you off or pisses you off is no reason to harbour hateful thoughts in your heart.
I hope you do know that being humble and not considering yourself so important that nobody dare irritate you, and being willing to take offence (for the gospel especially) doesn't mean you have self-esteem issues and stuff. It means you are obedient. You are turning the other cheek.
Also, when we see and realize that we have no right to get offended because trespasses are not committed against us, we will find it so easy to forgive.
Lift His Name up.
