Yesterday after church, Shannon and I went to the hospital to check on Dee. He had been seriously injured cutting a large branch off a tree.
When we got to Dee’s room, Shawna explained that Dee would probably be released and return on Monday for hand surgery. Then Dee smiled and said, “The good news is that I got my usual Sunday morning nap from 11:30 to 12:00.” It took me a moment to understand what Dee was saying.
Once I realized Dee was talking about sleeping through my sermons, I started to thump his broken hand but quickly realized Shawna and Shannon would not appreciate Dee’s pain as much as I would. Luckily, I stopped my initial reaction before the two women in the room hurt me.
Even though I didn’t realize it at the time, I was following Solomon’s wise guidance on how to deal with the Dees of the world. He said, “Insightful people restrain their anger; their glory is to ignore an offense.” (Proverbs 19:11 CEB)
More than likely no one is going to insult your sermons today, but that doesn’t mean you won’t come face to face with a rude, arrogant, uncaring person – odds are you will. But the bottom line is that their attitude and conduct are their problem, not yours. So don’t get angry about things that simply don’t matter. Life’s too short and Solomon would want you to ignore them.
And now that I’ve had a few moments to process Dee’s comment, I have come to realize that his sleeping from 11:30 – 12:00 every Sunday morning in the sanctuary simply means he has missed the greatest sermons in the history of Christianity. It’s his loss, not mine.
Prayer: Dear Gracious Heavenly God, help me to always see the big picture. And in those moments when I am offended by what someone says or does, remind me that I am saved and will go to heaven. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
When people are rude, God wants you to shake it off and move on.
Also, just for the record, just because I preach forgiveness doesn’t mean I believe in it. One way or another, I will get even with Dee. It’s the Christian thing to do.
I pray your day is filled with joy and laughter.
Tom Robbins
Daily Devotionals by Dr. Tom Robbins 