Charles Schultz could write so many moral dilemmas for us to watch play out.
I am thankful for this story where Peppermint Patty has terribly hurt Charlie Brown's feelings. She tries to solve the situation her own way by just acting tough, which only makes the hurt worse. Finally Marcy steps in to point out what must happen to make things right again.
Moral Lesson: If you have chosen wrongly and thus hurt another person's feelings, you need to turn around, repent, and change what you have made wrong, and then truly apologize to those you have hurt.
Life is short.
Do the right thing
and glorify the LORD God Almighty.
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4 comments:
So beautifully said, Jill.
Life IS short, and believers shouldn't treat heaven like a place where God will "fix" what we won't correct here. He will, of course, if we don't... but is that the attitude we should have in our hearts? To wait until He sorts it out in the end?
I say, NO, God forbid!
It bears repeating:
"Moral Lesson: If you have chosen wrongly and thus hurt another person's feelings, you need to turn around, repent, and change what you have made wrong, and then truly apologize to those you have hurt.
Life is short.
Do the right thing
and glorify the LORD God Almighty."
Wonderful, Jill, thank you!!!
-Carolyn
One other thought - important! - so that those who desire to make things right aren't needlessly burdened.
WE can desire to do what is right, WE can desire repentance/forgiveness/reconciliation, BUT, others around us may refuse to engage in these relationship-restoring activities. Others around us may choose to never apologize, or never forgive, or never work through difficulties or pursue reconciliation. Instead, others around us may choose to cut off and throw away relationships. Others around us may choose many paths that leave us bewildered.
So in these situations, what do we do? In so far as it depends on us, if possible, be at peace with all men (Romans 12:18). We can only address our own hearts. We cannot change or control others. We can reach out to those individuals. We can try to bring in a mediator. We can try involving others in the church (if we're in the same assembly, but this route won't help if the church doesn't take shattered relationships seriously).
But sadly, if any or all of those attempts fail, sometimes all we can do is keep our own heart and door open... and pray... and wait... for a reconciliation that may or may not happen here on earth.
Nonetheless, we should never feel guilty for someone else's sinful choices!!! If they refuse reconciliation, if they won't do the right thing, we can rest knowing our desire was to obey the Lord and reconcile. We need not carry their sin on our shoulders! We also shouldn't hold our own desire for reconciliation with a posture of pride. God gives grace to the humble, but He will oppose the proud.
These things - so hard! - we must continually surrender to our Savior. And it is a struggle, for sure.
-Carolyn
Thank you, Carolyn, for your encouraging words. Yes! Live for the LORD today! Glorify His Name today! And it certainly matters what our wrongful attitudes are.
It seems that some Christians live in a mindset of "I'm saved", "I'm safe", kind of like a "get out of jail free" card, so, in other words, I can choose the way I live, no matter if it is sinning against others . This is living by your own standard--not God's, and it is called wickedness, Christian person or not.
When we love our God and we accept Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, we should be desiring to glorify His name, not smear it by our sinful, justified behavior! How shameful!
What do non-Christians think when they know of Christians who live in sin?!
Life is short! Glorify God now! Let all peoples see your life for Him now. Do the right thing and do it now!
Thank you again, Carolyn! for pointing out this important information. I completely agree.
We can only do our job, which is living for the LORD and glorifying Him with our lives. We can not do anyone else's job--- that is between them and the LORD.
Thanks for the clarification!
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