Prefer Others

"Prefer the other person."

NOT EVERYTHING about us needs to be said in public. Usually, we have things in our head which, sounding them out, straightens them in our thinking. I do this by journal writing. Seeing it in print helps me. But to give my thoughts to people who don’t really know me is to court persecution. Jesus did not tell us of persecution so we could make ourselves public targets. Actually, we are given FAVOR with God AND with man (Proverbs 3:4), and God’s favor works far more to our good than the mocking of men ever will. Taking this even further, we, the body of Christ, our Messiah, should never be the one’s mocking others.

If you don’t understand the other person, ask politely or don’t speak.
If you didn’t like what they said, even if it wasn’t scriptural, then don’t speak.
If their personality rubs you wrong, then be kind or don’t speak.
If they’re not saved, love them or don’t speak.
If something in your life has caved in, ask for prayer and don’t murmur.

Speak ONLY IN THE SPIRIT, what He would have you say, and don’t call your will His to excuse yourself. Don’t spout your opinion “in the name of the Lord.” Don’t put people in a position to sin. Practice humility. Prefer the other person.

“Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” (Romans 12:10)

God asked me to drink something I didn’t want to drink. Now, it wasn’t something I disliked, but it wasn’t my first choice; and frankly, it upset me. “Why can’t I drink what I want to?” I asked. This story goes to a longstanding life lesson which He has spoken to me about before, on preferring others. But right then, I wanted A and not B. I drank B in obedience. Angrily, I realized I was wrong but gave into my personal opinion. This is such a simple lesson. Could you lay that one thing down, not give into it, not prefer yourself in it, and be happy anyway? I’ve found if you do it once, it’s not so bad the next time. It alters your thinking. After all, if I stop wanting A, then choosing B is first.

Applying this to people, we should think of the other man’s comfort over our own. If they’re idea of comfort isn’t like God, then because we’re connected to the Holy Spirit, we have love, peace, joy, patience, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These are evidences of our boldness in Him. Contrary to popular thinking, being bold to share the good news about Jesus makes us kind. We are never loud, arrogant, and offensive. Love actually seeks to cover up people’s faults so that they aren’t public (1 Peter 4:8). It lays down its life FOR people (John 15:13). Jesus sets our example. The Father sets an example in His giving us His only-begotten Son and the Presence of His Spirit.

“Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 BSB)

But where this applies to ourselves, we should NOT air our laundry for personal attention. Take your concerns to Jesus. Spend time in the secret place reading the Word and worshipping and listen for the Spirit. He’s always talking to you. Strengthen yourself in private and then what the Father hears in private, He will do for you. He knows our needs and wants to be the Source for our answer, instead of the world or the church because we’ve made a scene. We actually hurt ourselves with that behavior. It negates our trust in God.

There is much value in discretion.

“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:1)

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” (Matthew 6:6 KJV)

“See that none of you pays back evil for evil, but always aim at what is kind to one another and to all the world.” (1 Thessalonians 5:15, Moffatt)

Image by Pfeilgiftfeder from Pixabay


----------
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com