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In Contact With Others
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with one another. Whatever others may think of us or do to us, it
need not disturb our oneness with Christ, the fellowship of the Spirit.
“What glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall
take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it
patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
1 Peter 2:20
.
Do not retaliate. So far as you can do so, remove all cause for
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misapprehension. Avoid the appearance of evil. Do all that lies in
your power, without the sacrifice of principle, to conciliate others.
“If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy
brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar,
and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come
and offer thy gift.”
Matthew 5:23, 24
.
If impatient words are spoken to you, never reply in the same
spirit. Remember that “a soft answer turneth away wrath.”
Proverbs
15:1
. And there is wonderful power in silence. Words spoken in
reply to one who is angry sometimes serve only to exasperate. But
anger met with silence, in a tender, forbearing spirit, quickly dies
away.
Under a storm of stinging, faultfinding words, keep the mind
stayed upon the word of God. Let mind and heart be stored with
God’s promises. If you are ill-treated or wrongfully accused, in-
stead of returning an angry answer, repeat to yourself the precious
promises:
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans
12:21
.
“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall
bring it to pass. And He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the
light, and thy judgment as the noonday.”
Psalm 37:5, 6
.
“There is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid,
that shall not be known.”
Luke 12:2
.
“Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through
fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy
place.”
Psalm 66:12
.
We are prone to look to our fellow men for sympathy and uplift-
ing, instead of looking to Jesus. In His mercy and faithfulness God
often permits those in whom we place confidence to fail us, in order
that we may learn the folly of trusting in man and making flesh our
arm. Let us trust fully, humbly, unselfishly in God. He knows the