Love is not Irritable
Everyday Irritations
Have you ever had a piece of popcorn kernel skin stuck in your gums? I'll level with you. I am incapable of doing anything or focusing at all if i have a popcorn skin stuck in my teeth. Worse, i can never seem to get it out! Irritations are often little things. we call them petpeaves, way say things like, "that really bugs me." I've shared with you something i find particularly irritating, but what about you? do you have anything that just seems to get under your skin? I imagine you do. We all do, it seems. However, I have met some who are in much better control of their reactions than I am. Irritations can be rather comical at times. At the expense of maybe oversharing, another thing that irritates me is when my brother says nonsense yet seemingly wise statements. He loves to tease me with awkward paradoxes and other silly things that he knows make me angry. We get a good laugh out of it though. It's for fun! Still irritating though.
Unwelcome Irritations
There is another class of irritations. Some things manage to bring out the worst in us. Some things or sometimes some people can really test our patience in ways that make us wish that person just wasn't around. I think that's sad. I have people in my life that i find irritating. I wish i didn't. The Bible teaches that Christians are called to love everyone, even those that are our enemies. Paul reminds us that love is not irritable.
Irritability can often be a symptom of some physical ailment or malady. Parent's warn their kids when they're not in the mood for their games. Being around someone in a genuinely irritable mood is no fun. I think that God knows this. Love does not go about easily prodded into a negative chiding reaction. This can be especially hard for those of us who are opinionated and outspoken. Sometimes the person speaking loudest in the Sabbath school lesson-study is also easily hurt or irritated by correction or an opposing idea.
Do you find that someone in your church or biological family is too difficult to be around? I've had to come to peace with something wise my father taught me.
We can not often change how other people act, but we are always in charge of how we react to them.
Let us react in humility
The Bible reminds us that our Lord opposes pride and repays grace for humility (1 Peter 5:5). Jesus taught that rather than abrasion, we should repay even abuse with love and blessings (Luke 6:28). I have a lot to work on, and if you do to, I want to encourage you today that Jesus has a promise for you and me.
Even when we are not yet able to react in total humility, we can submit ourselves to God day by day. The word promised us that Jesus will perfect our love for us over time (Philipians 1:6).