"YOU KNOW HOW SHE IS!"

June 11    “You Know How She Is!”         Ephesians 4:32

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  (Ephesians 4:32)

Our Human Nature is naturally going to “get back at,” or “Want to teach people a lesson,” when we are challenges, hurt and abused.  Amazing, every one of us have had these feelings and many will act on these Human emotions.  Focusing on the hurt or the offense, we tend to be consumed on the acts of others, while forgetting our commitment to our Savior.  Keep in mind, I understand how difficult it is to take a blow and refuse to return the blow.  How are we to operate in this offensive and hate driven society?  The solution is Radical and Jesus demonstrated the solution in His earthly encounters with “hateful” folks.  We can describe our roles in this chaotic world as “SHOCK ABSORBERS!”  The solution to the ugliness of others is THE LOVE OF GOD for us.  Remember, He sent JESUS to Die for our Sins and to be the conduit to God the Father, to re-establish the relationship with us.  When we receive His LOVE EXPRESSION into our lives and HE SAVES AND FORGIVES US, then we are obligated to FORGIVE OTHERS!  To receive a blow and not retaliate is hard!  The solution, once again, is the LOVE OF GOD!  We MUST continue to GROW in CHRIST and allow the HOLY SPIRIT to direct and empower us to be examples of HIS LOVE!  LOVE and FORGIVENESS are absolutely required in the calling to be a CHRISTIAN.  Many years ago, we had a family member that was just plain hateful.  She didn’t like herself and she didn’t like others and she did everything possible to share her misery and her unhappiness!  I witnessed her venom directed at my mother, on many occasions, and I witnessed a transition within my mother.  Early on, in the relationship, Mama would claim the hurt and she would feed the offense, so that it could grow and direct her life.  As Mama grew in Jesus, I noticed a change in her reactions to “Old Grumpy Pants.”  On occasion that I recall, was at a family reunion and “Old Grumpy Pants,” with an audience of other family members, told Mama, with some excitement in her voice, “Well Barbara, you do stay fat!”  Oh Boy!  I was expecting the gloves to come off and Mama to open a “can of beat-down” on her!  Wow!  To my surprise, my dear Mama, who was always sensitive about her weight, smiled and responded, “I really do!”  As we were driving home, I asked Mama how she was able to deal with her hateful words.  Her reply was a real lesson in living with others… “Honey, she doesn’t mean to be hateful, she needs Jesus, and after all, You know how she is!”  Some tragic circumstances occurred within “Old Grumpy Pants” life and she finally met Jesus and she went from being “Hateful” to “Happy;”  Negative to Positive!  She actually became fun to be around.   “Barbara pointed out to me, in her way, that I needed help, so I asked her how to find happiness, like she has, and she told me and I did what she said and, now I understand!”  Mama’s witness of forgiveness was enough to cause this “Old Grumpy Pants” to become “Pleasant Pants!”  How?  It began with the Cross!  It continued in the life of my mother!  It took root and grew in the life of “Old Grumpy Pants!”  REMEMBER…LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, ARE CONNECTED THROUGH THE CROSS!  If you expect forgiveness, then you have to forgive!!  No exceptions, No Gray Areas!  Stay Strong, Stay Focused…THE BEST IS YET TO BE!!!