A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. Proverbs 18:19
Have you ever noticed that it is much easier for us to have more patience and grace with those outside of our own family? The same is true within our Christian family, as well, I believe. We can easily accept the shortcomings and imperfections of our unsaved friends at school. We're even more accepting of strangers' mistakes than we are those closest to us. Part of the reason, I believe, is because with strangers and acquaintances, we naturally put up a defensive wall designed to protect us from emotional involvement. But, with those closest to us, those barriers of protection are normally not erected; we feel safe and protected. And, we should. The most secure place in this world should be within the walls of our own homes and churches. However, because of that security, when we are hurt by those we love, the hurt goes deeper and stays longer. Today's verse helps us to understand how important our personal relationships are and how carefully we need to guard them. I don't believe that any of us would intentionally wound those who are the most precious to us, but perhaps a deterrent to that is to remember that when we do, it is much harder to win forgiveness and trust again.
Dear Lord, help us to remember just how sweet our physical and spiritual families are to us and to understand how the devil would try to hinder those relationships.
Scripture Reading for the Day:
Proverbs 18
John 19
I would never want my relationship with my family to be hindered. I love my family family so much and I thank God for them.
ReplyDeleteI need to pray and ask God for me to start to treat the ones I love the most better. I would never want to hurt any of them. But I know I have and I have been hurt by the ones closest to me. The hurt does stay longer. That is why we should always think before we speak.
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