In my daily reading today I read this: "Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others." (Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 ESV)
I know I have read this many times, and even have taught it a few times over the year, but wow...this really hit me hard. Just as Jesus told his followers in the golden rule to treat others as they would want to be treated (Matthew 7:12), so here we are reminded about the power of cutting others some slack. Do people treat us and say bad things once in a while? Sure...but don't take it to heart. You yourself say terrible things and treat others bad also!
There are so many applications here:
-When I am driving and somebody cuts me off, I want to flip them the bird and pound on the steering wheel. But when I (mistakenly) do this, do I expect them to give me the benefit of the doubt?
-When I hear a bad sermon that seems to play fast and loose with God's word, I may condemn and hate the preacher. But when I (mistakenly) do this, do I say that people shouldn't judge me too harshly?
-When after a long day my wife is not in a good mood I get frustrated that she is so cranky. But when I (not-so-mistakenly) do this, am I hoping that others will cut me some slack?
So often these days I hear somebody talking about how badly they have been treated by others...but then they think nothing about treating others badly. Why are we so hypocritical? Why do we think we are exempt from the rules of social behavior?
The Teacher knew about this many years ago. May I finally learn it from him.
