People can be careless in how they speak; blunt, insensitive, and sometimes even mean spirited. What is your first reaction when someone offends you?You can't necessarily control when you are offended. Taking a breath and choosing to remain calm is a wonderful gift of grace to yourself, and to the offender. The immediate release of anger is somehow much more immediately satisfying, but the consequences are not-so-attractive, and not pleasing to God. Taking a breath can slow down your reaction. Remember that an offensive comment shows the other person's perspective, and probably has some truth in it. Take that nugget of truth and choose to become better. Not bitter. James 1:19-20 states, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." Would it not be better to work the righteousness of God, showing the world you are a child of God? “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” Proverbs 15:1. It is good to remember that what someone says is not always what or how that person meant it. Longsuffering (patience), being slow to anger, and self control are listed by Paul as part of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Our responses should be reasonable and measured as we increasingly grow in our ability to use self control when we feel angry, and to overlook offences when we can. Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 states, “Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise has cursed others.” God shows us grace every day, it pleases Him when we act like Him and show grace to others. Proverbs 17:14: “The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts.” When others offend you, consider that they probably didn't intend to. Chances are they were preoccupied with something else, weren't feeling well, or didn't think how their actions may have come across. We have all done it to others, sometimes without ever knowing.
(All scripture copied from KJV)
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