My Last Nerve - Pt. 1

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:1-7 ESV).

 

Have you ever noticed that when someone does something wrong to you, like cutting ahead of you in line, reneging on a promise, simply not doing what they said they would, or any of more than a dozen other things, the tendency can be to start to retaliate against them in your mind? You might think about the things you’d like to say, if only you had a few minutes with that person. Or you might ruminate over all of the rude people, just like that one, that you are forced to deal with every day. Perhaps you shout out (where they can’t hear you, of course) a few choice colorful metaphors at them.

 

Other people’s actions can often set off a chain of reactions within us wherein a person goes into a self-talk bubble. They talk to themselves over and over again about the unfairness of it all, and the difficult time that other person has caused. If this happens too many times, you might find that the next person who perpetrates something negative against you winds up getting on “your last nerve.” This is the person, whether spouse, sibling, child, or friend, who steps over the line they didn’t even know was there and allows you to unleash all of the frustration that’s built up over time. The self-talk has done its dirty work, and now instead of just talking to yourself about how annoying everyone else really is, you are yelling at the person in front of you or on the phone.

 

If we are serious about living a life of Christian faith, we must keep in mind how our actions affect others. We cannot grow in faith all by ourselves; nor may we forget to tend to the well-being of others. Even if we have broad diversity, there can be unity when our shared focus and purpose are about loving God and neighbor. Mutual hospitality is a vital part of building unity as God’s people. We build unity when we look out for one another. Going even further, Paul says we are to accept one another just as Christ has accepted us. We have all experienced being let down by other people, and we have all been guilty of letting others down. Paul also reminds us that we are to forgive just as we have been forgiven. And he urges us to put on the virtue of love because that is what binds us together in perfect unity. Isn’t this what our world needs?