If only I Was Made of Rubber

Bounces off of me and sticks to you....

Sometimes I wish this were true. I wish that I was made of rubber so things would just bounce right off me. So the things people do and say wouldn't stick to me like they do. It would also be helpful in the sense of humility. Maybe if my neck was rubber it wouldn't stiffen in pride so often. Maybe I would be more pliable, bendable. Then I wouldn't crack under the stress when God is trying to bend me a little. Instead, I often find that I am rigid and stiff when I should be just going with the flow.

This happens most often for me with my husband. I know that I am supposed to put his needs before mine but doing so seems difficult at times. It is so ingrained to think of myself first. You see, I like to be right. I like it when I get to be the one that wins. Admitting when I'm not right, ohhh, that stings! I can be wrong with everyone else in the world but my husband is a completely different story. Why is that?

It just seems like I am pliable and loving....... my husband says something and BAM! The next thing you know, I have the taste of his head in my mouth. My mouth can move at the speed of light to bite his head off and on occasion spit it back out at him. How ugly is that? How does that reflect Christ? The truth is, it doesn't, and neither do I in these times.

Why is it that those we love the most, are the ones that get the worst from us at times?

I have noticed that sometimes just my tone of voice or attitude can make my words sound wrong. Why is it we feel justified in our actions when it comes to those we love the most? We don't set out to hurt those we love, but in our words and actions at times we do.

Then pride sets in and we want to roll around in it a while. At least that's my story. My stubborn pride has kept me from just letting go of things. Remember; where my husband is concerned, I like to be right. So I will blow up all his flaws in my mind when I am angry, then I don't need to apologize and admit my own fault. When God finally gets a hold of me about it, I have made it a much bigger offense than it needed to be.

So how do you change a thing so automatic? First I believe we must be deliberate. We must be conscious of the words we choose and the tone of our heart when we say them. Like I always tell my son, "If you have nothing nice to say, say nothing". For a while, you may just need to practice saying nothing.

I Thessalonians 5:15 says - "See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another"

Even when evil comes our way, we must actively seek to repay it with good.

Lord, change my stiff neck and make me bendable. My mouth opens too quickly when I should just listen. Make me sensitive to others, especially my family. Help me to say nothing when I have nothing good to say. Give me power to hold my tongue and practice the gift of silence. AMEN