OCTOBER 8, 2015
Reckless Words
Read:
1
Peter 2:13-25
When
they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate. — 1 Peter 2:23
I had been driving for almost half an hour when my daughter
suddenly wailed from the backseat. When I asked, “What happened?” she said her
brother had grabbed her arm. He claimed he had grabbed her arm because she had
pinched him. She said she pinched him because he had said something mean.
Unfortunately, this pattern, which is common between children,
can show up in adult relationships too. One person offends another, and the
hurt person shoots back a verbal blow. The original offender retaliates with
another insult. Before long, anger and cruel words have damaged the
relationship.
The Bible says that “the words of the reckless pierce like
swords,” and that “a harsh word stirs up anger” but “a gentle answer turns away
wrath” (Prov. 12:18; 15:1). And sometimes not answering at all is the best way
to deal with mean or cruel words or comments.
Before Jesus’ crucifixion, the religious authorities tried to
provoke Him with their words (Matt. 27:41-43). Yet, “When they hurled their
insults at him, he did not retaliate . . . . Instead, he entrusted himself to
him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).
Jesus’ example and the Spirit’s help offer us a way to respond
to people who offend us. Trusting the Lord, we don’t need to use words as
weapons.
Dear God, please give
me self-control through Your Holy Spirit when I am tempted to retaliate with
words.
A soft answer has often been the
means of breaking a hard heart.
INSIGHT:
To “follow in [Christ’s] steps” means we are
called to pursue a walk of purity and honesty (vv. 21-22), a walk that is not
vengeful or vindictive (v. 23), and a walk of deep trust in God the Father (v.
23). This is not only an example of how to build personal relationships, but
it’s also the essence of the gospel of grace—God’s favor to those who do not
deserve it. Bill Crowder
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015