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| Image by bknis from Pixabay |
My devotional asked, when did I fail to love like Christ? My first response, let me count the ways, followed by the memory of a contentious co-worker.
It didn’t matter what I said. The woman disagreed.
Even attempts to befriend her didn’t change her disposition. If anything, she
became even more combative.
After months of this behavior and one blatantly
provoking incident, I lost my temper. In doing so, I played right into her plan
to make me look bad in front of my co-workers and bosses.
I can only guess at her reasons. Jealousy? Anger
over something outside of work? I’ll never know.
I remember how exasperated Jesus became with the Pharisees.
They purposely goaded Him, like my co-worker did me, except he didn’t lose his
temper. (Except for the money changers in the temple, but that’s another story.)
He also refused to continue debating them after recognizing
their resistance to accepting the truth. I should have followed His example and
not reacted to her barbs, and done as St. Paul admonishes us, to pray
unceasingly. First, to calm our minds and spirits and to seek discernment. Second,
to pray for the woman, asking God to help her with whatever was going on in her
life to make her this disagreeable. I did neither at the time.
No surprise, the Bible Gateway quote for the day is from Matthew 22:37-39.
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all
your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first
and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself.’”
I pray I remember this lesson the next time I
encounter someone hard to love like Christ.
Have you ever encountered someone difficult to
love? How did you handle the situation?
