Give as Good as You’ve Got

I’ll need to pass out fake names and change certain details to survive the telling of the following story, but I’m game. We’ll go with Jane, Jen, and Jill. The three of us were hard at work on a common project when Jane smarted off to Jen and Jen snapped her back up in record time with twice the zing. Turning to me, Jill whispered something along the lines of, “You don’t want to mess with Jen. She can give as good as she gets.” Sadly, it was said as if it were a badge of honor. It’s not.

Retaliation, tit for tat, whatever name you give it, some may give in to it more than others but the tendency to pay someone back for an offense, big or small, real or perceived, assails all of us. I don’t like it one bit, but I’m ever aware of its tempting pull in my own thinking.

Why, I can amen Sunday’s morning’s sermon on forgiveness and yearn to give in to a tit for tat Sunday night.  Would anyone else be willing to ‘fess up? Thank you. Our enemy is quick to supply the ammo for these shootouts and the reasoning for using it, too, isn’t he?

You can’t let her treat you like that.  If you don’t stick up for yourself, who will? Besides, how many times has she done that to you, now?

Here’s a truth. It doesn’t matter how many times we’re wronged, we’re supposed to forgive again. When that feels too difficult to me, I like to remind myself that I am capable of mind-bending, forgiveness through the grace I’ve been given in Christ. It’s actually my heritage as a child of God.  Unlimited, unearned forgiveness is what I got and it’s what I’m equipped to give.

I even composed a little verse on the subject that serves as a reminder to me. Feel free to take it with you if you’d like.

When I refuse to repay tit for tat, I allow Jesus to forgive through me for this and for that.

Hugs,
Shellie