TWO-FACED

There will be days when one’s faith is tested.  satan uses the vulnerable to attack us in this physical world.  When you stub your toe, you just chuck it as accidental.  It hurt physically but you pay no second thought to it.  However, when someone deliberately berates you and throws false accusations, it is much more challenging. 

We have certain levels of sensitivity to people around us.  There is Level 1 which is reserved for our immediate family such as a spouse, a brother, a sister, children, etc.  Level 2 is more for close friends, in-laws, etc.  Depending on which level they belong, our levels of sensitivity is higher or lower.

However, in the same token, the closer we are to certain people, and which level they represent, there is a certain expectation of how well they know us.  Also, we must lower our expectation of self-centered people as their willingness to look outside themselves to get to know others is a task for them, sometimes even zero.  This is where patience and forgiveness come in.  Most often, self-centeredness is a direct result of low self-esteem.  The lower the self esteem, the higher they regard themselves because let’s face it, only they have to hold themselves up to the highest level because they don’t trust that others will regard them that way solely on their own merits.  Low self-esteem self-centered people will often put others down further to lift themselves up.  They do not know how to handle life crisis because they can’t get the focus out of themselves first so they can begin to empathize with others.

These types of people are experts in uttering the right words, not because they mean it but because they want to appease you so you can feel validated and in turn get that much needed appreciation back.  Be aware of such people because when confronted by accountability, the horns, so to speak, will emerge.  Vile utterances will suddenly spew out at you uncontrollably when they get backed into a corner as you will find yourself wondering what the heck this is.

So how do you deal with such a person between levels 1 and 2 when they come at you with such gusto? 

You pray.  First thing is to pray to cast the devil out but immediately remove yourself from the situation.  Next, ask God to provide you a stronghold of your faith so as not to fall into satan’s trap to trip you up to sin.  God does not require us to continue to associate ourselves with the ungodly, especially family, unless they ask to be forgiven, then and only then would you have a Godly responsibility to forgive.  Never put yourself in a situation where you might be attacked again.  God puts a higher expectation on us, especially those who present themselves wearing the cloak of God’s purity but sinful behind such cloak.  Third, you ask God to bless them.  Suddenly you will feel peace.  The best part of this is that you walked in line with God’s perfect Will and He will pour the blessings out to you more than what you wished for or expected.  After all, it is God you want to please and no one else.

Until my next rant… YES, YOU CAN LOVE ONE ANOTHER, WHETHER YOU KNOW THEM OR NOT!!!!!