“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Proverbs 25:28
Today’s Christian daily devotional
The United States Postal Service. Just hearing these words irks me.
I live in Chicago…and let’s just say that a simple trip to the post office is never actually a simple thing.
Every time I head out to do this tedious chore, there always seems to be a dramatic little inner monologue tumbling around in my head: “Do I really need stamps that bad? Should just keep the sweater I ordered that doesn’t fit? Can’t I just wait until next year to send my aunt her birthday card?”
But life beckons me to suck it up and embrace the fact that today is my lucky day. So, here I am. Standing in line in my version of hell on earth.
“Next.” The woman with dead eyes calls me up to her station.
“Hold on.” She puts a sign up: Register Closed.
I take a respectful step back. Without bothering to lower her voice, she places an order for a meatball sandwich with extra cheese and a side of fries.
I can feel the steam stop at the top of my turtleneck sweater.
After a few of minutes of light banter with her co-worker, she hands her some money for lunch. Then, my teller leisurely turns around and faces me.
“Well, I guess it is my lucky day! She is ready to finish (or start) doing her actual job.” My thoughts are sizzling hot; I’m feeling a lot less polite than I was about three minutes ago.
“Yes.” I tug at my neckline and step up, dropping my packages on the counter.
After jumping through the hoops of buying ‘post office’ regulation tape and re-printing my return address; twenty minutes of my life and about three days worth of cortisol carouse through my veins.
Every fiber in my being wants to give ‘Miss Customer Service’ a piece of my mind.
Proverbs 25:28 sounds easy enough when I hear my pastor preach about it on Sunday morning. But, let’s not forget that the environment itself is quite conducive to hearing sage instructions. That postal worker doesn’t attend my church, and if she did she’d probably be smiling, since it is her day ‘off’.
The true challenge comes on Monday. When all I want is to be treated like a human being; yet I find myself at the mercy of a postal worker who seems to insist on tempting her customers into actually going postal.
This is where the rubber meets the road. Will I actually rely on God to give me the strength to hold my tongue? Or how about this—will I actually obey Jesus’ command and pray a sincere prayer for the person I think least deserves it?
I can hear myself thinking, “But, Jesus never had to go to the Post Office!”
Jesus challenged all believers to do go beyond what the average Joe would do. By these ‘little’ accomplishments of mercy and kindness we are showing a world that operates in such a low grade of it, that God is real.
How is this? Because when we engage in these supernatural characteristics of love and forgiveness, the world will see us working on a whole different level; a God-like level.
In a world that’s hungry to see a miracle, just simply being uncommonly kind can be the miracle. Make a difference. Let the light of Christ in you overcome your human tendencies. God will help you.
“Dear Heavenly Father,
Sometimes when I think of Jesus, I get frustrated…even angry that you would expect me to follow perfection!
I repent of this. I know you sent Jesus as an example and you never expected perfection.
Lord, what I do know about you is that you are a God of hearts. You care more about the condition of our heart and the motivation of our actions.
There are so many challenges that I must deal with on a daily basis that make me feel like I will never ‘get it right’. Perhaps I never will.
But, that’s not a reason to give up and stop trying.
Today, I am dropping all my excuses. The challenge to control my spirit isn’t easy, but the good things in life never are.
I think I’m worth the effort and I’m glad I have you to rely on for my strength and Jesus to look to for an example.
The next time that I’m faced with a challenging situation, I want to report back to you that I gave you control over my mind and my actions.
In Jesus’ name, let’s do this…together! Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verse: Proverbs 25:28
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan