The other day, someone came onto my chess page (“playground player” at http://www.chessgames.com) and posted a most insulting comment. I was rather cheesed off, and couldn’t decide whether to ignore it or come back with some devastating reply.
Before I could decide, he came back with another post handsomely apologizing for what he’d said and asking me to delete the comment. I was very glad to receive that apology! And to accept it.
Repentance and forgiveness are a powerful combination. If only we could turn them loose on this fallen world, it would be a little bit less fallen.
And your restraint allowed him time for the grace of repentance. I’m taking this as a lesson to myself, since my razor-edged tongue is too often guilty of instantaneous response.
Amen, Phoebe! Usually, I try to restrain myself, but sometimes . . .
Good for you, Lee! God many times intervenes, allowing us time to re-think a thing, with much better results than we might otherwise have 🙂
Turning the other cheek is probably one of the hardest things to do, but in the end the most effective. This may not have been your original intent, but the result was the same.
“If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.” (Pro 25:21-22)