This morning I made my regular trip to the local tackle shop to buy some shiners. There is a tall man that uses very rough language when he addresses me. I admonished him about it last week. This week he caught me off guard. I told him loudly in front of everyone if he didn't repent he was goin gto hell. I did not say it in love. I was flat out mad. He looked at me and told me to buy my shiners elsewhere and to leave at once. NOw I know why I focus on love. Martin Luther King said" Hate is too big of a burden to bear." When I drove off hate filled my heart. Like a demon it started to eat me up. After about 15 minutes I forgave him .I do not like carrying hate around.It truly is too much to bear. I did pull up his boss's E-mail address and let him know of the shabby business practices. I guess I will be catching the shiners myself but I do have peace now. That is why I strive to walk in love.I had forgotten how ugly hate feels.
Brother Chuck
Brother, we all fall short, thank God for Grace. I know as Christians we do live in glass houses, and the world is standing by to watch us fall. I just completed a six week project in four weeks, it was going to cost me 5,000.00 each day late.... I lost it several times too with my sub-contractors... Thank God for Grace! God know's your heart my brother.
Thanks....And the verse rang in my ears from Matthew's gospel".If you can only love those who love you, what reward have ye?" Those things remind me of the log I still have in my own eye.
chuck
PS I still had a great tiome fishing. I happened to have 6 shiners from the last week. I didn't get a hit on a shiner but tore them up on red shad rubber worms. Biggest was only 3.7 but had a blast. Hate is a terrible feeling but God's joy...can't be beat.
Chuck
chuck it's funny how certian people know just the right buttons to push, it is a vicious trap, and all things considered i think you have done right, if it was me i would go by and apologize to the gentleman, i he accepts openly fine, if he dosen't you have made peace, i have always said i would not let my fellings (bad ones) take any of MY time, i don't have enough time to spread it foolishly, btw if the mans attitude dosen't change i would probably try to shop elsewhere anyway, if you go by and see him and apoligize you may shine some light into his otherwise dismal life.
best of luck, keith
__________________
John 3:16
things are more like right now than they've ever been
It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
William James
Man, do I relate, its hard for a Christian to take the disrespect of someone foul mouthed. Igot a simular problem withsome friends. I usually zip it,until they start taking theLords name in vain. I usually embarrase them at that point and ask, "does that make you feel cool". Inow after your post know that that is not the right direction. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks fellows for replying,
MT Hands, that is a tough order my friend...that is to apologize. The reason being ,because I feel like the victim. OK ...I'll go right now. He's only 4 miles away. I have a speech problem. I studder. Lately I have not studdered in a long time. As I think about approaching this guy...I feel the studdering coming on. Nothing worse than apologizing and looking mentally retarded all at the same time.Well...hear goes. PS ..I really don't care about the shop anyway. I usually catch my own shiners and I buy my tackle from Walmart. But I'm going to apologize right now. I feel sick.[&:]
Big Country ...I hear ya. When someone uses God's name in vain it makes me hurt. From day one when I started reading the Bible it hurts.
Brother Chuck
chuck i was just suggesting that because it always makes me feel better, and you'll know you're in the right,the guy may be a jerk, you can't change that, but i still believe in killing them with kindness, he'll still be the one that come out looking bad if he's a jerk, as for your speaking troubles, i'll pray that your nerves settle and the words come with ease, and it can be the last trip you ever have to make there, i have some people and places that i am best served to stay away from, lateley i have been ridiculed for reading the book, i really feel for some of these people.[&o]
__________________
John 3:16
things are more like right now than they've ever been
It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.
William James
I blew it today.
Well...hear goes. PS ..I really don't care about the shop anyway. I usually catch my own shiners and I buy my tackle from Walmart. But I'm going to apologize right now. I feel sick.[&:]
