Mar
9
Written by:
Julie Arduini
3/9/2010 4:11 PM
I'm a week behind, no surprises there! Although the link is closed, for accountability I want to blog the "rude" aspect of the love chapter. As in don't be rude.
This is from Marsha:
He’s called us to something far more noble than rudeness and guarding our rights. He’s called us to love.
How are you in this area of the love chapter?
Here are our contemplation questions for this week.
- Do you have good manners?
- Are you courteous to others, especially in your home?
- Are you tactful – sensitive to the feelings of others, choosing your words carefully, or do you offend people needlessly?
- Are you agreeable when you must disagree with someone?
- Do you use sarcasm or put-downs that show disrespect?
If I wanted, I could make this post four words and be done. It sums this part of the verse up and it sums me up, at least the core reason why I'm rude.
Wounded people wound people.
You can't fight that statement because it's the truth. When I get sarcastic and beady eyed, it's because I'm wounded, and I'm going to wound back. Growing up the joke was I was "poison pen" and it was interchangeable with "poison tongue." Nine times out of ten I would cut you down before you had a chance to do it to me. It was a knee jerk reaction to my woundedness.
Not only have years passed, but grace, sweet rivers of grace that I just don't tip my toes in, but dive in. Rude Julie isn't someone I don't want you to know or remember. I can't remember what book it was, maybe Stormie Omartian or Beth Moore, but through Bible study, a lot of time in God's arms letting stuff go, and a supportive husband, I remember writing a letter to "poison pen."
Yep, I wrote myself a letter. I addressed it to me in my maiden name and tried to picture her. I let her know how much God loves her, that although it feels like He forgot her, He was with her, fighting for her in ways she won't understand for a long time. That it was ok to cry. She didn't have to use that caustic wit as a weapon. She has a beautiful smile and genuine funny things to say. To be clothed in grace means she doesn't have to hit before the belt anymore.
I still get sarcastic, ask my kids. I have to go to God with it but anyone that knew me as a young adult could attest that the scales are more balanced. The rude side doesn't weigh down so much now.
Love took over.
Now THAT is someting worth writing about!