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Read: 1 Peter 2:9-12
I can still see Jay Elliotts shocked face as I burst through his front door almost 50 years ago with a gang of bees swirling around me. As I raced out his back door, I realized the bees were gone. Well, sort ofId left them in Jays house! Moments later, he came racing out his back doorchased by the bees I had brought to him.
I had more than a dozen stings, with little effect. Jay had a different experience. Though hed been stung only once or twice by my bees, his eyes and throat swelled up in a painful allergic reaction. My actions had caused a lot of pain for my friend.
Thats a picture of whats true in our interpersonal relationships too. We hurt others when our actions arent Christlike. Even after an apology, the sting sticks.
People would be right to expect an absence of harshness and an air of patience from those who follow Christ. We forget sometimes that people struggling with faith, or life, or both, watch Christians with expectation. They hope to see less anger and more mercy, less judgment and more compassion, less criticism and more encouragement. Jesus and Peter told us to live good lives so God is given the glory (Matt. 5:16; 1 Peter 2:12). May our actions and reactions point those around us to our loving Father.