To quote from the book "The Peacegiver" by James Ferrell..."'Ricky, I'm going to suggest something to you that you probably have never thought of and will want to resist, but I'm going to say it anyway because it's the truth. Here it is: Being mistreated is the most important condition of mortality, for eternity itself depends on how we view those who mistreat us."
Have you been mistreated or feel you have? How do you view the person who has wronged you?
Do you war with them? Do you gossip about them? Do you yell at them? Do you ignore them? Do you plot evil sinister plans of destruction in your head about them (lol)? Do you bury your head in the sand and pretend they don't exist? OR.....
Do you love them more? Do you reach out to them? Do you pray for them? Do you serve them? Do you do acts of kindness towards them? Do you build them with your words to other people? Do you pray for a softened heart towards them?
I can attest that up till recently, I was stuck in the warring zone. I would think mean or angry thoughts about the people I felt were mistreating me and my kiddos. I would speak unkind things about them to those who asked about what was going on. Oh and I had my fair share of plotting toilet papering their house, ding dong ditching them, and other vengeful acts. In all seriousness, I was not thinking with charity, the pure love of Christ.
Then it happened....a change of heart. I realized that these people are some of the people I care most deeply for and while I can't control what they do or how they think of me or whether they feel/felt mistreated, I can pray for them, build them, say kind things, serve them, love them more, and have them in my heart. It's a process that's for sure but I'm glad to see the miracle of my heart changing.
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