Insults

Read I Peter 3:7-4:6

“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when
people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a
blessing. That is what God has called you
to do, and he will bless you for it.”
(I Peter 3:9)

Thoughts… In his autobiography, Number 1, the late baseball great Billy Martin told about hunting in Texas with the legendary Mickey Mantle. Mickey had a friend who would let them hunt on his ranch. When they reached the ranch, Mickey told Billy to wait in the car while he checked in with his friend.

Mantle’s friend quickly gave them permission to hunt, but he asked Mickey a favor. He had a pet mule in the barn who was going blind, and he didn’t have the heart to put him out of his misery. He asked Mickey to shoot the mule for him. When Mickey came back to the car, he pretended to be angry. He scowled and slammed the door. Billy asked him what was wrong, and Mickey said his friend wouldn’t let them hunt. “I’m so mad at that guy I’m going out to his barn and shoot one of his mules!”

Mantle drove like a maniac to the barn while Martin protested, “We can’t do that!” Mickey was adamant, “Just watch me.” When they got to the barn, Mantle jumped out of the car with his rifle, ran inside, and shot the mule. Then Mantle heard two shots outside, so he ran back out of the barn to the car.

Martin had taken out his rifle, too. “What are you doing, Martin?” he yelled. Martin yelled back, face red with anger, “We’ll show that son of a gun! I just killed two of his cows!”

We live in an age where we are taught to stand up for our rights, defend ourselves, respond tit-for-tat, and never let anyone intimidate us. It is a sure sign of weakness to let someone get away with any kind of personal offense.

But is it really a weakness or is it wisdom to overlook an insult? King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived outside of Jesus Christ, wrote says, “A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.” (Proverbs 29:11)

If you tend toward anger and are quick to retaliate when you have been offended, you might as well hang a sign around your neck that reads, “I’m a fool.”

But if you have developed the ability to control your emotions when irritated, Solomon would call you prudent. A prudent person is one who shows discretion, who has tremendous foresight, and uses careful judgment. It is a person who responds with patience rather than anger.

Proverbs 16:32 describes that person this way: “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” Proverbs 20:3 states, “It is to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”

You will most likely have opportunity for either foolishness or prudence this week because someone has insulted or irritated you. When that happens, just remember: You were not called to retaliation, nor to foolishness, but to blessing.

So be a source of blessing even to the people who don’t deserve it, and God will bless you for it.

Prayer… Lord, increase my patience this week with those who would irritate or insult me. Remind me that I have been called to exchange blessing for cursing. Enable me through your indwelling Spirit to love difficult people just as you love me even when I have been difficult for you.

One More Thing… “He best keeps from anger who remembers that God is always looking upon him. ~ Plato