Wednesday, February 2

Keep Score No More (Part 2).

It's not for lack of inspiration! Really, read I Corinthians 13 again and see what verses jump out and smack you in the face.




For part one, click here.




God's word says, "Love keeps no record of wrong," yet time and time again I was disobeying this recommendation. To God it looks like I read his Word and then walked away and forgot about it. He says,


"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22).



Are my petty grievances against my husband (or anyone else for that matter) more important than obedience?



It was time to take a look at  the “love chapter” again in First Corinthians chapter 13. This verse jumped out to me as I read:




"Love does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs" 

(vs. 5, NIV).





I looked up some other translations and the wording is interpreted a bit differently at the end of I Cor. 13, verse 5:


love… does not take into account a wrong suffered. (NASB)


love… doesn't keep score of the sins of others. (Message)


love…. thinketh no evil (KJV) or thinks no evil. (New KJV)


love … is not irritable or resentful and does not count up wrongdoing. (GWT)



Keeping score turns into resentment. Really, really fast. It reminds me of this quote: “Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”



The poison of resentment gets us nowhere, except maybe a ticket on the “miserable marriage train.” No thanks. So how do we change it? How do we wipe the slate clean of grievances and actually keep no record of wrong?



This is what is working for me in my ongoing effort to "DO WHAT IT SAYS!":



  • Confront when necessary. Use kind communications for the issues that deserve it. Someone once told me, “If you aren’t willing to confront this issue, let it go.” There are things that need to be dealt with, but I guarantee, letting a record of wrong fester and grow is not the way!




  • Don’t keep a record! If we don’t write it down (mentally), we can’t read it again and again in your mind. I like how the King James version puts it, “thinketh no evil.” We feed the list of growing resentments with thoughts. Change the negative into positive.




  • Quote the scripture. When tempted, Scripture always drives out sin. Memorize verses on this topic and quote them!



I want to be different than the soon-to-married girl I was 9 years ago who walked away from wise counsel and thought, ya those were nice suggestions, but it's not for me.




God’s word isn’t just “good advice.” He desires and expects us to do what it says.




This is only one area I strive to get better at right now. All the others are sure to supply Drop inspiration for the next few years! I hope you will be inspired by the Scriptures to serve God and follow His words.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Beautiful Thank you