Still Thinking

My Dad, who is a preacher and a retired pastor, told me once that every so often in the Christian life, you'll have a "spiritual epiphany". You will see something in Scripture that, obviously, has always been there, but you never REALLY saw it before. Maybe you even read it a thousand times, but it never "clicked" for you, then suddenly, one day, it does.



I can look back over the last several years of my life and see where that has happened to me a few times. I love it when it happens, because it is the Holy Spirit speaking to me, and I am just in awe that He would take time to talk to ME, you know? I love it, even though sometimes what He has to say is painful.



I've had such a time recently. The Lord has REALLY been dealing with me about "offending" other people. What I am finally seeing is this. Generally speaking, I do not set out to offend people. If I were visiting a church that I knew did not approve of ladies wearing pants, I wouldn't wear pants there. I have no problem having a *very* occasional glass of wine with dinner, but I would never have a drink if I were dining with people who might be offended by it



BUT, the Holy Spirit has revealed to me that I AM often offensive ON PURPOSE to people who have offended me in the past. For example, my inlaws do not attend the same church we do, but they have been there a few times to see our children in Christmas plays and such. EVERY time they have been to our church, I have made a point to wear pants because I know they don't like it!

I know, how childish, right? But I did it.

What I am finally realizing and admitting now is that it wasn't "wrong" for me to wear pants to our church. It is a common and accepted thing there. But, on those times when my inlaws have been at church, I wasn't just exercising the freedom I have in Christ. I was rubbing their faces in it. That's not right. And, that's not the only time I've done it. I've done other things in their presence, things that I have a "right" to do, but I did them simply to annoy my inlaws. That's wrong.

My inlaws are extremely difficult people. But that doesn't justify offending them when I have the choice NOT to offend them.

I wonder how much better our relationship with them would be now if I hadn't been doing things like for so long?

Hmmm.....

Blessings,
Vicki