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"He that is void of wisdom
despiseth his neighbour:
but a man of understanding holdeth his peace."
Proverbs 11:12
"Just The Facts"
There was once a man that John Wesley thought of as
miserly, therefore he had little respect for him. He
felt so strongly about this man that, on an occasion
when the man gave only a small gift to a worthy
charity, Wesley openly criticized him.
Not long after, the gentleman paid a visit to Wesley.
He was surprised to hear that this man ~ someone whom
he assumed was simply greedy ~ had actually been
living on parsnips and water for several weeks. The
man told him that, in his past, he had amassed a great
deal of debt. But since his conversion, he had made a
choice to pay off all of his creditors, and therefore
was buying nothing for himself and spending as little
as possible elsewhere in order to do so.
"Christ had made me an honest man," he said, "and so
with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few
offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my
worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God
can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest."
Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his
forgiveness.
<>< Shared with you from Our
Daily Bread ><>
It is easy to find fault with others when we don't
know their
circumstances or reasons for their actions. It's also
amazing
how a few facts can forever alter our perception of a
situation.
When we feel compelled to judge, it's a good time to
ask God
for wisdom and patience to understand the facts.
May you be filled with the Spirit of God
in wisdom and understanding in all things.
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