BUT JESUS...

I had an incident with another mortal the other day and not a good one. I took a cussing like I never have before. Fiery darts were shot with the intent to kill.
But Jesus... was there.
He was all over me. We stayed calm. We didn't cry. We answered without accusing. We questioned without condemning. We spoke with a calm steady voice. We humbly sought out and accepted any wrong doing while enduring the wrath of a very angry person.

Then I walked away and cried like a baby. I asked the Lord to remove them from my bubble. Perhaps have them get blessed with a great job opportunity and go away. I told the Lord this is why I hated dealing with people. I asked Him if I could just put a wall up and not even deal with the situation any longer. Hide it, and the mortals, completely out of my sight. Just stay locked tight in my little bubble. 

But Jesus....said no. He said this is exactly what you were called to do. To love the unlovable. To extend grace to the ungrateful. To address it with respect and humility, seeking a solution and not a vindication.

Don't be fooled. It's not all daises over here. There is bitterness trying to take root. I have felt it trying to pierce my heart. The voices of the flesh have screamed. My mind has been preoccupied with what I should have said this time or will say next time.
Those thoughts are trying to build a wall, brick by brick, around my heart. Bricks like
I just won't speak at all....
I've got nothing for them any longer....
It's not worth it....

But Jesus... reminded me that to be a follower is to be persecuted by the world. Maybe this isn't about me being a Christian specifically, but maybe it is. I don't think its a coincidence that just a few days prior I had actually thought about how great it would be if they found Jesus. 
My chief attacker is not this mortal, but the enemy Satan himself. If he can get me to harbor bitterness, if he can get me to not turn the other cheek, if he can get me to not act like I am a follower, if he can get me to keep that heart of stone....

But Jesus...keeps pulling my thoughts back to Him.
Reminding me of the end game.
His glory.
His fame.
His adoration.
People choosing Him.

The world is mean. The world hates Christ. The world will hate us if we are following Him. Being in it but not of it is going to be tough. We can want to with all we have, but our flesh will fail. Our flesh will follow the world. We, in and of ourselves, are ill-equipped to do this.

But Jesus.....