My parents once had a small dog named Muffin. Muffin had many idiosyncrasies but one in particular always caused much laughter for the humans and much chagrin for poor Muffin. Whenever she was given a dog biscuit she wouldn't eat it but would 'hide' it instead. She never looked for a place out of sight or behind a table or chair. No, she 'hid' her treat in plain sight. She would drop the treat onto the carpet in the living room, usually at the head of the stairs, and proceed to 'bury' it by pushing her nose close to it several times. Then she would give us all a sideways glare and walk away from her now 'hidden' treat. If we ignored the treat and walked around it, all was well in Muffin's world, but if we pointed it out to her and 'discovered' it, oh, she would get mad. She's harrumph and sigh, pick up the treat and proceed to find another suitable-only-to-her spot for the snack.
We'd always get a great laugh at Muffin's expense but aren't we the same way as Muffin sometimes? We have a bad habit or a sin and we try to cover it up, thinking that nobody can see it when all the time it's out there in plain sight. Or we have a problem in the home or with a friend and we ignore it instead of dealing with it, pretending that it's not there, hoping it will go away. Just because we choose to ignore something doesn't mean it's not still there waiting for us.
It's easy to allow an offense or hurt to distance us from relationships that we once enjoyed but how much richer our lives would be if we apologized quickly and gave forgiveness just as quick! The Word of God tells us to "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32)
Colossians 3:13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
1 Peter 3:8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Is there something, some problem, you've been trying to ignore? Today is the day to deal with it. Maybe it means saying you're sorry or maybe 'I forgive you', whatever it is don't keep walking around it pretending its not there; deal with it and be done with it.
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