We were sitting in a restaurant, enjoying a family lunch. Travis had been bugging me all day. I had carefully restrained myself up to this point. Then it happened. The perfect set-up to the perfect insult. I had a choice. The perfect insult was there, so close I could touch it. But should I? Should I grab that insult while it was still open and hurl it at my brother, or should I restrain? Like any big sister, you'll never guess what I did. The perfect insult was hurled.
You've been there. I've been there. A zinger. The perfect insult that makes you feel good for about a split-second, before you feel the regret. But by then, it's too late. The words are gone. They've been spoken. There's no taking back what you said.
What does Paul say about the perfect zinger? Well, nothing specifically, but he talks about something that certainly applies to it: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit includes patience and self-control. So when the perfect insult that may seem so perfect presents itself, remember that Paul did not write: "And the fruit of the Spirit is patience and self-control, EXCEPT when you've got the chance at the perfect zinger. In that case, go for it!" No, we need to exercise patience and self-controleven especially when it seems the hardest. So, let's remember that when all is said and done, that perfect insult really doesn't make you feel so good.
You've been there. I've been there. A zinger. The perfect insult that makes you feel good for about a split-second, before you feel the regret. But by then, it's too late. The words are gone. They've been spoken. There's no taking back what you said.
What does Paul say about the perfect zinger? Well, nothing specifically, but he talks about something that certainly applies to it: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23)
Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit includes patience and self-control. So when the perfect insult that may seem so perfect presents itself, remember that Paul did not write: "And the fruit of the Spirit is patience and self-control, EXCEPT when you've got the chance at the perfect zinger. In that case, go for it!" No, we need to exercise patience and self-control