in·teg·ri·ty
–noun
1.
adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
2.
the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.
3.
a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.
I had a rough week last week. I found myself in a situation that I had not experienced for quite some time. A full-on character attack. My integrity was being questioned. Instantly I found myself very angry. The more I thought about it, the more I prayed about it, the more I sat on it, the angrier I got.
I began to wonder why I was so hot over this. I knew where my moral standard was in the situation and I knew the person was trying to build them self up by way of diversion. I also knew that I was dealing with a non believer. Nonetheless, I was mad.
As a christian, there was a time when I thought it was not okay to get mad. It just did not seem like the Jesus thing to do, you know? However, not being able to shake it this time I turned to the word.
Ephesians 2:26a says Be angry, and do not sin. BE ANGRY!!! That's not an option it is a command. Be angry the bible tells us and do not sin. So we should be angry. Things that would anger God should anger us. The second part of that verse is the tricky part.... do not sin. Even righteous anger can quickly go down a bad road. I was in a situation that I didn't know exactly how to handle. Lucky for me my trusty road map had some good direction.
Proverbs 26:4-5 (The Message)
4 Don't respond to the stupidity of a fool;
you'll only look foolish yourself.
5 Answer a fool in simple terms
so he doesn't get a swelled head.
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or you will become as foolish as they are.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation.
I decided I would throw in a couple of translations because I love them both. You can't argue with a fool on their level because that will just bring you down, making you look foolish as well. However, you can not let their foolish arguments go unrebuttled. If you do they will feel justified, so don't allow them that satisfaction. I have got to learn to operate with wisdom and discernment here so that I do not end up looking like the fool :)
The older I get the more I realize that the only thing I have here on this earth, the only thing that truly belongs to me is who I am. My character. My integrity. Insulting my person is not the same as insulting the pair of shoes I have on, and that's not a jab I am willing to stand and take.
Vengeance is the Lord's. In the end it all comes out in the wash. With that said, I am going to try and simmer down. And as my kids like to hear me say, I'm gonna check myself before I wreck myself. Good day.
you'll only look foolish yourself.
5 Answer a fool in simple terms
so he doesn't get a swelled head.
Proverbs 26:4-5 (New Living Translation)
4 Don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or you will become as foolish as they are.
5 Be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools,
or they will become wise in their own estimation.
I decided I would throw in a couple of translations because I love them both. You can't argue with a fool on their level because that will just bring you down, making you look foolish as well. However, you can not let their foolish arguments go unrebuttled. If you do they will feel justified, so don't allow them that satisfaction. I have got to learn to operate with wisdom and discernment here so that I do not end up looking like the fool :)
The older I get the more I realize that the only thing I have here on this earth, the only thing that truly belongs to me is who I am. My character. My integrity. Insulting my person is not the same as insulting the pair of shoes I have on, and that's not a jab I am willing to stand and take.
Vengeance is the Lord's. In the end it all comes out in the wash. With that said, I am going to try and simmer down. And as my kids like to hear me say, I'm gonna check myself before I wreck myself. Good day.
No comments:
Post a Comment