Ever been hurt? Ever had a family member attack for no apparent reason? You know, recently I was shocked. I guess the Lord wanted me to know that not every agrees with me....I thought I knew that already, but now I REALLLY know, don't I ! I was having a conversation with a family member and was verbally accosted by another. Hmmmm. Why? Was I saying anything particularly troublesome or strange or unsettling? I didn't think so. We were just talking about homeschooling. My family member proceeded to denegrate not just homeschooling, but me, how I do it (how would she know?), and the results. The thing is, I don't really care if shes likes homeschooling or not. Or even whether she likes me or not. But what gave her the idea she knew anything about any of it/?? She didn't homeschool. She sent her kids to private school. She's never visited my home to see what or how we do it. She just hears stuff 3rd and 4th hand coming through others who dislike it. What's up with that/?? How should we respond to that sort of attack? That's what it is, you know. It's an attack. An affront. I really wanted to be smart, and clever and be able to just argue her down to nothing. You know what I did? I tried to explain my convicitons and was talked over by her. I tried to explain the normalcy of homeschooling and how many people (all sorts of people) are doing. She didn't listen. I was then informed that homeschooling is a uniquely Baptist thing and we only do it because Jerry Falwell told us to. Hmmm. I wonder if she knows he's dead? I wonder if she's ever met anyone else who's home-schooled? She is trained as a lawyer...you'd think she'd know about research. Anyway, my final response was tears. I left the room, the house, found my middle boy and walked, talked and cried. He didn't know why Mom was so upset, but then he didn't need to. I cried and asked God what that was all about. I finally got myself together and went back in and shortly after left. Strangely enough, she told my Mom she was sorry she had spoken to me that way. Wish she'd have told me. Oh well. Why is it such a surprise when someone who doesn't understand us, is not a Christian does something like that? I don't know either. Seems like we'd expect it. The Bible says we should. The Bible basically tells us that we're to be in this world and not of it. We're NOT the same as everyone else.
Lord, I pray that today, you touch those who need you. Lord use me to reach someone. Be with those who hurt whether it's physical or emotional. Help us to forgive those who hurt us just like you forgave us...even though we keep hurting You.
In Jesus' sweet and Holy name I pray...
Amen.