Oh no, not again. Do we have to? Any child's typical response to something they don't enjoy. Please don't make me! Can I skip it, just this one time? Please, please, please! Can't you choose so and so?
How convicting, to see this reaction in our own hearts, when dealing with prickly people. Oh no, not again Lord. Can you believe this. Why must it be me? Can't you choose someone else? I'd rather spend my time with people I enjoy or no people at all today.
OUCH... That stings. How unlike Christ we can be. How aware of others flaws and ignorant of our own. How hard we find it to love as he loved. How few of us say, pick me, pick me when a prickly person needs loving. I know sometimes I don't.
Just the other day, I was up in my head, saying, "Lord, can't I just hide away today? Do you really want me to love on that mean porcupine who's driving me crazy?" Yes, Michelle I do.
"But, I can't Lord." Exactly Michelle, but I can through you. What a relief to know he will help us do whatever he asks. Otherwise, we actually can't. Not without his power and grace and a good dose of reframing those unpleasant thoughts.
So, how did he help me reframe my childish thoughts? Well, an image came to mind of one of GODS amazing creatures.....the porcupine.
Just look at this adorable, yet, very prickly little guy.
On the one hand, he's super pointy. On the other hand, he's so darn cute.
Isn't he just like all of us? Sometimes adorable, sometimes deplorable. Ok, ok. I know, I know. Some people have more deplorable than adorable from where we stand.
That's okay. Inside those prickly needles is a soul starved for love. It's one of the greatest oxymoron's out there. The less loving the person, the more lovin' they need.
Remembering this, helps when we'd rather say, "Why me GOD?" Seeing other "prickly
people" as souls needing extra loving, enables us to take that next step. Then the next one and the next one.
Next thing you know, with God's help, we've loved the needles off that "porcupine" and all that's left is the cozy cuteness.