Verse #3, revisited

"Those who consider themselves religious and yet DO NOT KEEP A TIGHT REIN ON THEIR TONGUES deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless."  James 1:26 NIV (emphasis is mine)

God has such a sense of humor.  I thought this verse was for "them" and not me.  I thought God wanted me to focus on it for "them".  HA!!! Oh, man what a morning of review.  It is so easy for me to apply this verse to those people that I consider to be such hypocrites.  And then there is ME!!!!  It drives me crazy to listen to "those" people that talk the talk and don't even begin to walk the walk.  And then there is ME!!!  Those people talk about forgiveness and then offer none, talk about love and then close their hearts, and, yes, then there is ME.  In one short hour I have taken offense from another's words, decided to twist them and punish the person with his own words, and then decided to punish the person associated with him.  That is so mature and so "Christian" of me.  So, I'm going to try and rewind the morning.  FORGIVE the one who spoke without thinking, AGAIN.  Isn't that big of me?  Wouldn't it be easier to forgive if there weren't so many people that piss me off.   Then, be more mature and Christian and let it go.  And THEN, MOVE ON.  Forgiving someone is the best thing I can do for me and them.  I visited with an friend from my high school days yesterday and her husband of many years decided he didn't want to be married and just left.  Just walked off and didn't really look back.  Wow, how do you forgive that.  Well, you just do.  I can't imagine the hurt he has inflicted and how hard it must be to forgive the pain he has caused...just because he could.  At what ever level someone hurts you, minor to the point of major, major pain, you have to forgive them for YOU.  The pain and anger is a cancer.  It eats at you.  It destroys your happiness, your love, your outlook and you MISS YOUR LIFE as it passes you by with what could have been.  LET IT GO and FORGIVE.  I will forgive my little hurt this morning and have a great day and work very hard at "keeping a tight rein on my tongue".  God give me strength....and NOW!