Relocation 3.2

I’ve been thinking about the post Relocation – 3. Here are some additional thoughts…

So… your spouse does something wrong and you feel yourself getting upset with them. Take a moment to stop the rush of “anger”, a moment to stop the rush of “frustration” and ask…

If I was the one that had made this mistake… how would I want to be treated?

Then go and approach the issue in that state of mind.

Treat others as you would want them to treat you.

Your child clobbered someone at school. The news of this makes you upset… and it should. How could the child you have been raising do something like this? Now the desire to punish them quickly begins to swell up in your soul, but before you raise your voice at them, before you go get the belt or take something away, before you do something rash… take a moment and ask…

If I was the one that had done this, how would I want to be treated? Would I want guidance? Would I want to be asked why I did it? Would I need correction so I would not do it again? Would I want to understand why it was wrong? Would I want to have the chance to say… I did it to protect myself?

There are times… punishment must happen… its just how it is administered that makes all the difference.

There are times… punishment isn’t necessary. They may have been protecting themselves. There may be a good reason why they did what they did.

Treat others as you would want them to treat you.

Someone has changed somethings you have invested in. You like things a certain way and when you showed up at the office, at school, at church, at your house you find… things are different than when you left them and now to make matters worse “things are not working correctly.”

The frustration is building, the tension is tightening but before you open your mouth and give the person that changed all this stuff the “what 4” take a moment and ask…

If I was the one these words were directed at (even while I wasn’t there) what would I want them to say about me?

If what you are about to say about them would make you angry if it was said of you… don’t say it.

Why?

Because Jesus says… “treat others as you would want to be treated.”

That is building your life on the Rock – Matthew 7:24-27