“Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.”
Yesterday, a close family member was mistreated by someone who has a lifelong pattern of doing that. Part of me wondered why the family member continued to open themselves up to that type of ongoing treatment. In reflection, I don’t know if they have ever not been taken advantage of by that person. Because of a set of circumstances, they were telling me about it just to explain why they were in a certain situation. I also reflected on the fact that they seem to take the repeated mistreatment, not talk about it, move on, and continue to be kind to the person. I might start calling him my Proverbs 17:9 man. Em Griffin wrote a book many years ago in which he described Christians as the world’s shock absorbers. We take the hits from the world and, instead of giving them back, we pass them up to God as a sacrifice for Him. That has always stuck with me. It is difficult to be mistreated by someone and not want to get even or tell others about it. For some, it would seem impossible. As we move through this Easter season, we see the ultimate example of the world taking an innocent man, putting Him through the mockery of a trial, abusing Him, nailing Him to a tree, and killing Him. Jesus took it without complaint, allowing His Father to show His perfect love to a lost, dying, and hurting world through His sacrifice. Today, be the world’s shock absorbers on behalf of our King. #BeTheEdge
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 NIV
