1 Peter 3:9
“not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.”
This verse is at the end of a section on how husbands and wives are to treat one another. It’s natural to fight. It’s described as returning insult for insult. We feel misunderstood or attacked. So, we engage in defending or being understood. It often denegrates into fighting.
We are to be on a different level. We aren’t to give insults, but blessings. This is difficult in the middle of a fight. Once we engage, we are emotionally on a low road. Anger builds. The best we can do is own our part and apologize.
How are we to bless when challenged? Depending on what’s going on, we can attempt to explain, but it won’t take long to see if it’s received. We are attempting to soothe a disapointment with logic. This doesn’t always work. The person is hurt or frustrated. They want to be heard. Logic misses it. We can bless them by hearing them out and sympathizing. This is tough, because their problem is with us. We have to hear charges against us. We will want to defend. A slight response may clear things up. If not, listen and sympathize.
This takes “being the bigger person” to bless when being attacked. This is being Christlike. Jesus took many blows in which He didn’t respond in kind. I think of God. There is constant criticism of The Lord. They claim that His lack of responsce is impotence, while it’s His patience (2 Peter 3:9). We are being godly when we are the bigger person.
Does this mean our needs don’t matter? Are we always to go unheard? No. The heat of the moment is not the right time, though. Later, when things have cooled off, we can bring up a grievance, if needed.
Lord, thank You for Your ways. Help us to patiently care for people’s hurts. Even if it means we have to take some heat. Help us to care so much that we can handle this.