MAKING ALLOWANCES

Today's reading: Ephesians 4-6

"Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love." Ephesians 4:2 NLT

The story goes like this...

A man rescued the runt pup from a large litter and raised it its entire life.

This dog depended upon this man for shelter, food, water and companionship. In return? In return, the dog gave this man all the love the dog's heart could muster.

They did everything together. 

They took walks. They took car rides. They hunted. They played in the park. The dog slept at the end of the man's bed. The dog had a special place beside the man's chair at the family's dinner table.

There was a love and a bond that was unspoken but very evident.

But one day, the dog didn't come when called.

The man looked for the dog and found that it had been hit by a car and was lying hurt in the road.

Their eyes met. The man could see that the dog was badly hurt and the dog could see the one he had depended upon for so many years.

The man's first response was to pick up the dog in an effort to rush him to the vet's office.

The dog's first response? The dog's first response was to snarl at the man and bite him.

Not out of anger. Not out of fear. But out of pain. A response to its own pain.

Pinterest puts it this way: Hurting people hurt people.

That's what our Scripture verse is telling us...

When we go to mingle amongst the crowd today, be careful, we don't know everyone's hurts. We don't know everyone's wounds. We don't know how deeply those standing next to us have been bruised.

Ask God to help you make allowance for everyone's faults, poor reactions and unkind words--out of your love for Him.