Shrugging Off the Insult

“If you shrug off an insult and refuse to take offense, you demonstrate discretion indeed.  But the fool has a short fuse and will let you know when he’s offended” (Proverbs 12:16 The Passion Translation).

We love how the book of Proverbs gives us such practical advice for our relationships! In the language of a loving Father giving advice to His sons and daughters, we can glean incredible advice for our lives, and know that God has our best interest in mind, inviting us to operate in extreme wisdom empowered by the Holy Spirit.

All that said, we are going to set this week apart to recalibrate our lives to line up with our “Dad’s simple yet profound advice” about relationships as offered to us from the book of Proverbs.  Imagine the voice of your father taking time to sit with you and talk about life.  Our Father in heaven is the King of Kings and the Creator of the entire universe…to think that we have access as His beloved children!  He cares deeply about your family and all of your relationships.

No person is exempt.  You are going to encounter insults and get offended.  Often the people closest to us manage to get under our skin and simply start to bug us. Or maybe somebody intentionally attacks you with words or judges the motivation of your heart.  It’s only human nature that we rise up to defend ourselves!  And possibly explain the miscommunication or correct the injustice!

But not us, my dear friend, we are going to demonstrate discretion. Let’s notice the offense before it even has time to trigger an emotion.  Let’s be protected by the mercy of the Holy Spirit and let that offense slip right off us like water off a duck’s back.  Let’s invite the wisdom of our Father to make us impenetrable.

I know whenever I have blown up with a short fuse, and vocalized my offense, I have instantly felt like a fool.  As part of our inheritance, we simply don’t have to live as a fool because we are given the nature and character of our Father in heaven. I want to look and act a lot like my Dad when it comes to offenses.  I want to not just forgive easily, but even shrug off the offense before it even reaches my heart!

Today is my day to make it my intention to adopt the very nature of my Father in heaven.  Forgive me Lord for when I have focused on an offense, and let it infect my thoughts and pollute my reasoning.  Holy Spirit, remind me of this truth the next time an offense wants to steal my joy! I choose to be more like you in this way. I shrug off offenses and retain my peace!

Have a wonderful Miracle Monday – it’s always a miracle when we choose to live according to our new nature because of what Jesus did for us in his death, burial and resurrection.

We love being family with you,

Love Audrey