Those Who Mistreat You
Proverbs 12:16 Fools are easily upset, but wise people avoid insulting others.
It seems to me that pretty much every da there’s someone out there who wants to insult you, to offend you – either directly, personally, or by insisting that you conform to their ideas, their norms. Have you noticed that too?
Many – not all, but many – of those to the left and to the right of the political spectrum have together turned intolerance of each other and insulting one another into something of an artform … one that’s tearing society apart.
But it’s not just in politics. It’s pretty much in every sphere of life. In the workplace, in the media, in … well, pretty much in everything. And if you’re anything like me it’s upsetting, right? Who wants to be insulted? Who wants to have radical, opposing views shoved down their throat? It’s downright offensive!
So … here’s a bit of godly wisdom to get you through all that:
Proverbs 12:16 Fools are easily upset, but wise people avoid insulting others.
The temptation in that moment, in that space where we’re upset, is to hurl back an insult, a retort, a barb, to recover some dignity or, at the very least, to hold your ground.
Yet according to God, it’s a foolish thing to be easily upset. To the contrary, wise people avoid insulting others in return. Or as someone else once said …
“We can actually refuse to be offended. When people ignore you, or they’re mean or rude to you … they’re actually revealing themselves. They’re telling you what’s within them, not what’s within you. How you treat those who mistreat you reveals your level of emotional and spiritual maturity.”
Fools are easily upset, but wise people avoid insulting others.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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