Majoring on the Minor

Too much of my time and energy today was majoring on the minor. It seemed that each and every person I came in contact with today was an irritant for some reason.

A person didn’t do what I wanted him to do at the time I wanted him to do it. Most generally when this scenario happens the person involved is a family member. Today it was my husband. But how unfair and selfish can I be? I have a great husband who is very kind and believes God created me just for him. He adores, loves, and protects me. How selfish of me to become upset when he fails to meet my expectations precisely to my specific specifications? Do I really want a puppet husband? No! I want a loving, supportive husband who has strength and character of his own. I want a husband who loves the Lord and is the spiritual leader of our home.

"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands… Your beauty should not come from outward adornment…Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.” 1 Peter 3:1a, 3a, 4 NIV

I drove my mother to a doctor appointment and helped her with some shopping this morning. She told me I was stressed and needed more patience. Now there is nothing that will make me less patient than to be told I am not patient. The truth is I was a bit stressed this morning. I was running late because of some minor inconveniences involved with the care of my mother-in-law. When I become stressed, I also become edgy and less patient than normal. Mom was right. I was stressed. I ended up apologizing to the receptionist at the doctor’s office. My words were a bit snippy during our first encounter. I was clearly wrong and impatient. An apology was the right thing to do.

“ Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” Colossians 3:12 NIV

Then my father-in-law told me he would just have a peanut butter sandwich for lunch. He has been eating with us fairly frequently recently so I took it as an affront to my cooking and careful planning to provide nutrition dense meals. I realize now that he was attempting to be kind. He was trying to save me from the effort of cooking and doing dishes; however, I had planned a nutritious meal and had already started the preparation. Before becoming offended, I should have put myself in his shoes. I should have looked at the situation from his vantage point.

“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

So it is far too easy to selfishly major on the minors. Clearly God intends for us to focus on him and his commands--not gratification of our immediate needs and desires. Such self-centered behavior is not pleasing to God.

Lord, show me when I am being narrow-minded and self-centered in my behaviors. Make me keep my focus on glorifying you in any and all situations.