Once again, our guest blogger is Karen Alexander-Doyel.
Enjoy her words of encouragement…
Yesterday a big, fat rabbit was eating some of my tomatoes. As I was washing dishes after dinner, Jim came walking through the kitchen with a rifle in his hand. I looked up and asked where he was going. He told me the rabbit was in the garden and he was going to shoot the rabbit! I immediately said, “NO!” “Please don’t shoot the rabbit, just shoo him away.” Jim assured me the rabbit would continue to come back.
I thought about the rabbit and decided I had enough tomatoes for all of us. I did not want him to shoot the rabbit. I know this means I may find more veggies on the ground with bites out of them. The tomatoes are just not more important to me than the rabbit. It may be a mommy, it might have babies, and it is really cute!
This morning my Bible reading was in Romans. Paul was giving instructions on how to live with each other. Let me share a couple verses with you.
Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.”
Romans 12:17 “Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.”
Romans 12:18 “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”
Ministry means working with people. Whenever we work with people we will find ourselves in the position of sharing, changing, disagreeing, forgiving and learning.
If I am willing to forgive a rabbit and share my garden with it, how much more should I be willing to forgive my brothers and sisters in Christ? Yes they sometimes take from me what I do not want to give. It seems they can sneak around when I am not looking and take a bite out of me. So, do I shoot them or forgive them?
Paul knew it would not be easy. He actually used the words, “if it is possible”, but as I get ready to use those words as an excuse I am reminded that God’s word says, “With God All Things Are Possible.”
Karen is a writer for the Tennessee Baptist Convention Ministers’ Wives blog .She is a speaker and conference leader, former pastor’s wife, and Lifeway Ministry Multiplier from Lenoir City, TN. Karen was married to Dr. Douglas R. Alexander, former pastor of First Baptist Church, Lenoir City, Tennessee until his untimely death a few years ago. They served in ministry in Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Ohio and Tennessee. Karen established and led women’s ministries in each church she attended and is a conference leader and writes and teaches Bible studies. She especially has a heart for ministers’ wives and wants to help them love their special calling in ministry. Karen is married to Jim Doyel and is the mother of three grown sons.
Visit our ministers’ wives web page for more resources.
