What do I do with the wrongs others commit against me? What do I do with others who wrong me?

When they spread a false report about me. When he unjustly holds me accountable for something even he acknowledges I didn’t do. When she mocks and makes light of my perspectives. When he speaks to me in an insulting way. When they go behind my back. When she undermines my authority. When they talk me down to others. When they ignore me.

When. When. When. Sometimes it seems there’s no end to them!

What do I do?

I was barely six words into this morning’s reading when, wham!:

“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins” (12).

I wonder if the Reina-Valera version in Spanish gives a different sense….

“Hatred awakens quarrels (spats, grudges, fights, feuds); but love will cover all faults (lacks, shortcomings, fouls, mistakes)” (12).

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love” (John 15:9).

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12).

“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2).

Looks like I have no viable option but to love others in return for their wrongs against me.

I can’t do that on my own. Period.

I need this:

“And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you” (1 Thessalonians 3:12).

from Proverbs 10:17

A little bit more from Proverbs 10: I Want That!