READ: If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.—Luke 17:3
REFLECT: We were student teachers, new to the methods of education.
“What do I do,” someone asked the instructor, “if an experienced teacher puts me in a bad light in front of the pupils?”
“There are times,” she replied, “when you must love others enough to confront them with the truth. If a person embarrasses you, say so. But gently.”
It has always been far easier for me to ignore a wrong than to let the offender know—even in a gentle way—that my feelings have been hurt. The problem, of course, is that I have not really ignored the hurt—I’ve just pushed it way to the back of my mind. Then one day it’s likely to surface, blown all out of proportion. And, even worse, I’ve been harboring resentment.
Yes, it’s best to talk over a hurt, as my instructor of long ago prescribed.
PRAY: Jesus, when Your best friends’ actions hurt You, You gently confronted them with the words,“Could you not watch with me one hour?” Thank You for Your example then that gives me strength today to do the hard but loving thing.
DO: Explain to the one who hurt you a gentler way to handle the situation.
