Consider

"Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots." (Luke 23:34)


As I am instructed by the Lord through the presence of His Holy Spirit in my life, I am ever so slowly realizing the best defense to ignorance is probably not retaliation or quick retort.  My natural being wants to immediately cry out, "Now wait just a minute, you have that wrong"; at the very least, I want to let people know that they don't know from whence they speak. I am grappling with the idea that one of my best defenses against ignorance and stupidity is not retaliation or rebuke,  it may be reflection.


When I pause within a situation which might otherwise invoke my anger or frustration, the Lord may show up to speak His peace and wisdom to my anxiety and disturbance. 


He may remind me, "Amie, the person speaking doesn't have all the details; he or she might be making a judgment without knowing enough of the story." He knows I have done the very same thing often enough. He also knows there are people in my life whom I can trust for wise advice and direction when I need it. He has given them to me.


He may remind me to fix my eyes on Him as the writer of the story, the One who truly knows the end from the beginning. 


He may remind me of His time on the cross where He responded to rejection and hatred by calling on His Father to provide mercy, forgiveness, compassion and grace (www.bible.org)


His prayer from the cross provides believers with an example they can follow even though it may not necessarily be an easy thing to emulate. The Scriptures also provide the case of Stephen in Acts 7 when he asked Jesus for the sins of his persecutors not to be held against them.


I am learning and growing slow but sure. 


I must use discretion to evaluate the counsel I receive and ask wisdom to determine what is pertinent to me and what is not.


I need every day to consider Jesus who endured the cross and its shame for me; I need to keep steadily pressing on and pressing on and pressing on...


from here into eternity.