JUST DROP IT

019 – MARCH 2005


MATTHEW 5:39 “ … BUT WHOSOEVER SHALL SMITE THEE ON THY RIGHT CHEEK, TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO.”

I FINALLY DECIDED TO UPDATE MY FILE CABINET. POURING THROUGH OLD FILES OF PAPERWORK, I FOUND A SMALL FILE TITLED “PROBLEMS”. I HAD NOT SEEN THIS FILE FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND AS I SCANNED THROUGH IT, I DISCOVERED A FEW PIECES OF “HATE MAIL” - POISONED PEN LETTERS FROM UPSET PEOPLE THAT USE FINGER POINTING AND NAME CALLING OVER NONESSENTIAL, UNIMPORTANT,OR TRIVIAL ISSUES.
NOTE: THROUGH THE YEARS YOU MAY HAVE RECEIVED ONE OF THESE (ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE EVER PRESIDED OVER SOMETHING - A BUSINESS, A LITTLE LEAGUE, A COMMITTEE, ETC.)
PEOPLE DISAGREE. PEOPLE GET JEALOUS. PEOPLE FEEL MISTREATED. THEN, THEY WRITE THAT DREADFUL LETTER!!! IT IS USUALLY A LETTER THAT PUTS YOU DOWN “REAL GOOD”. IT IS CAREFULLY WRITTEN. SOMETIMES VERY MEAN SPIRITED AND TO THE POINT … AND SOMETIMES “SICKY-SWEET” WITH A VEILED VENGEANCE THAT STRIKES TO THE CORE OF YOUR BEING. DON’T YOU HATE THOSE?

MATTHEW 5:44 “…LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM THAT DESPITEFULLY USE YOU.
MT 5:46 “FOR IF YOU LOVE (ONLY) THEM WHICH LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? …”

THINK ABOUT IT. THE REAL AND ONLY IMPORTANT ISSUE IS - “HOW DO I (YOU) REACT TO THESE TYPES OF NEEDLESS LETTERS?” AS WE MATURE IN CHRIST, WE DISCOVER THE FOLLOWING:

CHARACTER EVOLUTION FOR RESPONDING TO “HATE MAIL”

STAGE 1. “LET ‘EM HAVE IT!” THIS IS PREFERRED BY MOST. I’VE DONE IT. SIMPLY WRITE A LETTER THAT IS BETTER THAN THEIRS. SELECT WORDS THAT WILL JUSTIFY YOUR POSITION AND VINDICATE YOUR SELF WORTH. CHOP THEM DOWN TO SIZE AND SATISFY THE RAGING FLESH THAT IS SCREAMING AND PLEADING TO YOUR SOUL TO AVENGE. AFTER YOU HAVE WRITTEN IT TO PERFECTION – MAIL IT, RAISE CLENCHED FISTS TO THE SKY, AND SHOUT A VICTORIOUS “YES!”
STAGE 2. SEND A TONED DOWN RESPONSE. WRITE THE LETTER AS YOU WISH, BUT DO NOT SEND IT FOR A FEW DAYS. READ IT OVER AND IF YOU STILL FEEL THAT YOU NEED TO SEND IT - YOU COULD ELIMINATE SOME OF THE STRONG WORDS AND MAYBE SEND A SOFTER REVISION (THAT, NEVERTHELESS, ABSOLVES YOU OF ANY WRONGDOING). THIS IS CONSIDERED “GOOD ADVICE”.
STAGE 3. WRITE IT BUT DON’T SEND IT. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSEL. WRITING IT DOWN WILL “GET IT ALL OUT” AND SATISFY YOUR ANGER. NOT SENDING IT WILL HELP YOUR SELF-CONTROL (AND STROKE YOUR FALSE HUMILITY). SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD!
STAGE 4. JUST DROP IT. BECAUSE THESE ARE LETTERS OVER IRRELEVANT MATTERS, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO JUST DROP IT. THERE COULD BE OTHER TIMES THAT YOU WILL NEED TO COMMUNICATE A WELL- MANNERED REPLY. INCLUDE APOLOGIES FOR ANY PART THAT YOU PLAYED IN THE ISSUE AND REPLACE AN URGE TO BLAME WITH LOTS OF LOVE AND BLESSINGS. OUCH!

YOU NEED TO FUNCTION AT STAGE 4. IT’S A “JESUS PRINCIPLE”. IT WILL TAKE SOME EFFORT. BUT YOU CAN DO IT - IF YOU’LL WALK IN THE SPIRIT AND SURRENDER YOUR FLESH.


P.S. I THREW OUT THE ENTIRE FILE. IT HAD BEEN SITTING THERE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME. AND IT ONLY REMINDED ME OF PEOPLE AND OF QUESTIONS THAT I HAD LONG FORGOTTEN ABOUT.
PHIL 3:13 & 14 “… BUT THIS ONE THING I DO, FORGETTING THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEHIND, AND REACHING FORTH UNTO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE BEFORE, I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.”