"Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

Have you ever just wanted to smack somebody? Like John Cena, just pick them up and toss them through the air and then finish them off with a sweet submission move? Parents, friends, and teachers have all hurt you in some way or another. I've been hurt, and I've wanted to use WWE moves, but then I remembered that I didn't have the strength nor the flexibility to pull it off properly. I would just end up hurting myself and the perp would walk free, probably laughing at me as he stomped on my stomach.

Our natural reaction to getting hurt is to fight back, to hurt back. It feels like the "right" thing to do at the time, but usually, if we gave in to the feelings, it doesn't normally feel too good. That is why Christ is so incredible. He knows a whole bunch of stuff that we don't, like for example, when we are really mad at someone we should turn the other cheek—or like the verse says—be gentle and sensitive to forgive others.

If you want your life to be like Christ, then you have to learn how to forgive instead of fight. To be sensitive to other's feelings and needs so that you can be a true friend to someone who is hurting. But most importantly, you will want to learn to forgive those who hurt you because that is what Christ did for us. We didn't deserve forgiveness, that is what is so cool about Christ forgiving us—we didn't earn it but he gave it to us anyway. You can be like Christ when you choose to forgive someone, maybe even when they don't deserve it.

CHECK IT

1. Who do you need to forgive in your family or circle of friends?



2. How can you be more sensitive to someone at school (i.e. maybe someone who needs a friend)?



3. What does it mean that Christ forgave you?

For more information on Michael and Amy Smalley Ministries or the Smalley Marriage and Family Center please visit www.gosmalley.com

© Copyright 2007 Smalley Relationship Center

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