30 Days of Encouragement - Day 11

Did you know that a hurt dog will bite the ones he loves! When we moved to our new neighborhood, my dog, George, escaped. You can call him if you want to, but his habit is when he gets out he's not coming back until he is ready.

It is a hard life out in the streets for both man and dog. And, as your mom would say, "A hard head makes a soft behind." George found that to be true. While exploring, he got attacked. This adventure could have been avoided. When I called him to come back, I would be writing about something else.

Who or what attacked him, I will never know. The wounds looked like a pack of tiny dogs got him. He had little nips on his face and each leg. He was not a happy dog.

He was cool with all the dogs in our old community, but this was some other dog's territory. Every gang-banger knows that when you move to a new hood, you have to be slow about presenting yourself in the streets.

You can't just jump out there not knowing who is in charge. if you do, like George, you may get jumped.

George limped home with scars and cuts on his body. And, I am sure, he had bruises hidden by his hair, and his pride was clearly devastated. He learned that no matter how nice you think you are, not everybody wants to be your friend.

In obvious pain, [which was a direct result of his disobedience], when he came in he just wanted to lay down. He didn't eat, he didn't drink, he just lay there. And, he didn't wag his tail.

I was concerned for my dog and thought to take him to the vet. But, when I tried to check his wounds, he yelped and snapped at me. My first reaction to his reaction was to show my dominance, but I realized he was responding to pain. If I touched him where he hurt, even if it was to help him, it would have caused more pain.

The dog is faithful and loves me, but at that moment, he didn't want me to touch him where he hurt. He needed me to be who I am but to give him time to heal.

Is that what is wrong with some people who have ugly attitudes? Are they wounded in their souls? Are they snapping back at us because they are protecting themselves from more hurt?

I know some people with some very nasty attitudes. If you smile, they frown, if you say "Hello," they mumble something back or may not speak at all.

There are times when I want to punch them in the face, but that would not be good for the following reasons:

1. They might punch me back.
2. They could put me in jail
3. I could get fired
4. I could hurt my fist
5. It would make things worse

There is very little that we can do about somebody else. We spend a lot of time in personal misery because we are trying to figure out how to fix someone else. God's Word calls us to certain responses.

If we do what He says, we not only help ourselves but, we also help the person we are responding to. Yes, we already know the things God tells us to do are not what our natural minds or emotions tell us to do.

But, who do you think is the smartest? God or ......

Maybe we should take a step back and think about what our reaction to their nasty should be before we snap back at them.

Maybe, their hurt built a wall around them to keep people from getting close to them. If you touch them, it may hurt more.

They may need us to be who we are, but give them time to heal. Sometimes the reaction we get from others has nothing to do with us, but everything to do with them.

Our practice for today is to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Be Blessed [James 1:19]