When people annoy you....what is seen

[Fragrant Grace]

Do all things without murmurings and disputings:
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Holding forth the word of life;
Philippians 4:14-16

Are you love full?
Or are you spite full?

Do you return kindness, love and compassion?
Or do you agitate, retaliate and aggravate?

Are you love full?
Or are you hate full?

Consider anyone who annoys, irritates or angers you?
Do you deal with them in love stirring compassion?
Or do you deal with them in the flesh stirring anger and frustration?

If you are not Christlike
Then who are you like?

Who do they see in you?

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:29-32

(Just a little footnote...these simple thoughts and verses came powerfully to me as I thought of how snappy and argumentative I can be with my family and children at times....and rather than being Christlike who or what do they see. Praising the Lord for this challenge to my heart).

 

[Shutterbug]

Good evening Grace. I've been there many times. Trust me, there is no halo above my head. On numerous occasions, I'm very much inclined to say to myself: "Self, I says, you really are not fit for the Kingdom." I have an image which has gone through my mind on innumerable occasions which goes something like this on Judgement Day: "So, do you like warm places?" I might say it with a tongue-in-cheek attitude, but it does have a grain of truth. Best case scenario, all will be forgiven. But, I'm thinking that it's more like wishful thinking. While the Good Lord has minimized the trouble I tend to generate for myself, he doesn't owe me any favours. In truth, it's fully the reverse as I tend to be my own worst enemy. Cheers, John Phil 4:8

 

[Brad Huber]

A kind word is sweeter than the sweetest honey.

 

[Fragrant Grace]

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
James 3:6-10

Once something has been said it can never be unsaid

Hurtful words cannot be reversed

The Lord is good and if we ask Him He will guard our tongues from those fleshy responses that wound and cut into people.

O Lord may the words of our mouth only be from You and be words that glorify You

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Proverbs 25:10

 

[Chad]

Thank you for the reminder sister. It's the truth, and a tough battle to deal with for most of us. Me indeed.

But, it's important to acknowledge our weaknesses and adhere to GOD's expectations. He always enables us for sure, no matter what.