“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”
Matthew 12:36 NIV
How do we react to situations where we have been wronged, been abused, or placed into a dangerous position? Do we react with our words and lash out in anger to the someone who has done to us this wrong? It seems our world is literally sitting on the edge anymore and people are unhappy and upset. The amount of patience and compassion is in short supply.
We as followers of Christ are called to go a different path than the world. The Word tells us we will have to give an account for every empty word, words spoken in anger to the Lord. As we walk our walk of faith each day, we are being remade in Christ’s image. That effort of being remade also means we react differently than we have done in the past.
In Romans, it tells us to overcome evil with good, not rants and fits of harsh emotion.
When we find ourselves wronged, stop and reflect for even just a moment before opening our mouths in anger or bitterness. Reflect on how God loved us even when we wronged Him, sinned against Him. You know that had to hurt His heart but He loves anyway.
Try to react as you know by His example how He wants us to – in patience, forgiveness and compassion.
We cannot control how people may treat us but we can certainly control how we react to such circumstances! God’s love is not only our example but our strength to react to evil with good!
In Christ
RJ