(NIV): Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. (Living Bible): A fool is quick-tempered; a wise man stays cool when insulted. (Message): Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly; the prudent quietly shrug off insults. (*CJWV): Children vent; adults let peace rule their hearts. (Welcome to my mind, and enter at your own risk to a conversation I often have with myself. I wonder, does this sound familiar to you?)
First of all...You can tell the type of person you are by the type of person you let bother you. Why do you let other people bother you? In my dark hours, I wonder why I give people so much control over my emotions? "Oh no, someone doesn't like me!" Why do we care about how people think about us; especially when we know these same people usually only think about themselves? People want me to make them feel good about themselves; and when I don't they end up not thinking good about me. So really, it was never about me in the first place...it is about them. So why be bothered by people who only like you when you promote them? Wierd? Why do we care if other people think we are fat, ugly or stupid? Why does that make you mad? Anyone who thinks you are fat and ugly does not deserve to even be listened too in the first place. But we listen, and we let them steal a perfectly fine day from us. And then the people who never talk negatively about us, are the people whose opinion should matter the most to us; but for some reason we don't care about how they think about us. It is the critic we so often listen too and try to please. And yet after pleasing them, we still don't really trust them because we know the moment we stop pleasing them they will talk bad about us again. And the people we respect are there still loving us, expecting nothing in return. Why do we waste so much time performing for people who are impossible to please? Secondly...You can tell the type of person you are by how you act when you don't get your way. A man pulls in front of you on the highway; he cuts you off, you are mad. You notice he is talking on the phone. Do you think he is thinking about you? No, he doesn't even know you exist. But you chew on your anger for the next 45 minutes while he is probably pumping gas at the next exit chewing on a Butterfinger. You are making yourself angry, he is oblivious. Why do you let this happen? Why do you get offended so easily? Why do you get offended when people don't do things your way? Why do you get offended when you are not the star of the show? Who really cares, "I do!" Why? As a pastor why do I get offended when people go to another church and love it? Aren't they loving Christ? Yes, but I want them to love Chris. Why? Because...well...Chris is me...and I love a following. And when people stop following Chris for Christ, I feel insulted. The more I feel insulted the more I should be ashamed of myself. I don't know? That is the crazy thing, I don't know, but I care.... But how can you feel insulted having someone leave you for Jesus? The longer I live, the more I realize what I learned as a kid I should still live by, especially this: I'M RUBBER, YOUR GLUE, EVERYTHING YOU SAY BOUNCES RIGHT BACK TO YOU. Easier said than done! *CJWV - Christopher Joseph Weeks Version
2 Comments
dan
5/15/2014 11:13:04 am
...it is a fearful thing to enter the mind of Mr. Weeks, but worth the risk.
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John Vargo
5/20/2014 01:05:10 am
All manner of snap judgment that gets passed, comes to focus intently on a pastor. The symbolic figurehead, the preeminent role model for the church. "I donate money every week, but that guy, that guy made Christ his CAREER!"
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