As soon as I got home, feeling extremely sorry for myself, I took to Facebook and wrote a status about what had happened. I was happy to see people siding with me in the comments and agreeing I had been treated badly. However, after awhile, I calmed down and started to think about what the godly response would be in this situation. God brought this verse to mind:
'"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.' Luke 6:27-31
I decided to use this opportunity to practice forgiveness and not hold a grudge when I returned to preschool to pick up Chloe. But, the status in Facebook was full of comments of getting back at the man and how he shouldn't have been the way he was. My friends and family were being wonderfully supportive and I had been inviting such comments. However this was going to be unhelpful in forgiving the guy. So I deleted the status.
I was feeling quite good about the situation when I returned to the preschool to pick Chloe up. When I was waiting in the queue, the man's wife asked to speak with me. I thought she was going to apologise for his behaviour (so naive!). Instead she said there was a mark and they wanted some money to fix it. I disagreed and said I would have to get my husband to talk with them that evening (I'd get far too emotional!).
I don't want to use this blog post as another way to get sympathy, having taken the post from Facebook down. So I won't say what I think the conclusion of this episode should be, other than I was really upset for the rest of the day. I thought to myself, 'I was trying to be so good at forgiveness and look what it got me!' Until I started to think about the verses again:
'To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.'
Even after the first strike, I should be willing to offer the other cheek too. Not being walked over, but ready to forgive all over again. J and I have been challenged that we should aim to be godly rather than worldly in this situation. Maybe we think the couple behaved wrongly, but if we think any scratch was caused by us, then owning up and being peacemakers is perhaps what we are called to do. (In case you're worried we were a little too easy to give in, J did express his annoyance at the way the man talked to me!).
Although this has been a very unpleasant couple of days and I keep wishing SO much that I had got up 15 mins earlier and walked to preschool that morning, I am thankful that we are learning so much through this. I have made the decision that I am going to give up Facebook for Lent; too often my first instinct is to turn to it for sympathy or attention. I have woken up this morning with so much peace in my heart. This is compared to yesterday when I felt sick to my stomach all day.
Thank you Jesus, Prince of Peace, that you taught us to love our enemies and those who treat us badly. Thank you for being the ultimate example of that on the cross.
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