The Filter

I woke up about 6:30 the other morning feeling "green thumbish". I decided to do some yard work. I have a very busy summer schedule so I figured I should take advantage of the day. It was now 7:30 (an hour later) and I was ready to pull weeds. As I surveyed the landscape I realized this was gonna be a lot of work. It was too early in the morning to ask my family to wake up and help me and everyone in my household despises yard work. I knew that attempt would be fruitless. So I took a deep breath, grabbed my gloves, asked the Lord for His help and started pulling.

I was a couple of hours into it and the temperature was still kind of cool. I was singing and making melody in my heart to the Lord and everything was going great. As I grabbed handfuls of prickly weeds and the other ones that wrap around everything like a vine. I couldn't help but noticed that one black trash bag turned into 4 and a couple hours was turning into 6. The melodies ceased, the sun was beating on me, mosquito’s started biting and my back was hurting so badly. And if that wasn't enough to deal with, there was yet one more thing that was sent to irritate me. My loving husband thought he needed to come out and be landscape manager. He was standing in the doorway and this is what he said, "Hey babe, be careful not to cut the hose to the sprinkler drip system. Don’t spray the weed killer too close to the plants." Then, "It's cold out here. Are the kids gonna come and help you?" Thirty-five minutes later he comes outside dressed to go somewhere.   Let me tell you right now, I WAS NOT HAPPY AND I HAD AN ATTITUDE. I thought to myself, "Here I am sore and sweaty (Over the yard design he wanted. The one with all the trees, grass and bushes.)  And he has the nerve to go somewhere without even offering me any help.

When he left I went in the house and demanded everyone breathing GET DRESSED AND COME HELP ME. One by one they all began to complain or give me some kind of excuse as to why they couldn't help. But I wasn't having it. A few hours later the love of my life returned, not with flowers and candy but instead with another comment, "Wow, you cut those bushes really low."  Well that did it!  I wasn't gonna let him get away this time. I aggressively answered, "Yes I did! They needed to be that low because they grow really fast and we probably won’t get time to trim them for a while."  He looked up at me and said, "Calm down. I wasn't saying something was wrong with the way you cut them. I was actually noticing how low you were able to get them trimmed."

Immediately I realized I had filtered my husband’s comments through irritation and frustration. It didn't matter what he said or how he said it, it was going to bother me.  I had forgotten that it was my bright idea in the first place to take on that overwhelming task and when no one wanted to help, I was upset.  Even though his help would have been appreciated, I had no right to assume he wanted to spend his day fixing the yard.

How many times have we misread someone’s gesture or misunderstood a comment they made. They may have tried to compliment us and all we hear is criticism. Remember satan is the prince of the power of the air. He loves twisting and perverting things.  We must be very careful that we do not accuse people of purposely saying or doing something to offend us. Make sure that your heart is pure towards every person and you are not making something out of nothing. In every situation, check your love filter. Be sure it's not clogged with offense, jealousy, misunderstanding, selfishness or foolishness. 

Ask yourself questions before you respond or react. Questions like: Is my perception obscured by fear? Is the person I'm speaking with really trying to hurt me? Do I always feel the need to defend myself? Are there hidden issues from my past that I have not dealt with? Is there pride in my heart? Do I feel threatened by the person addressing me? Am I the person with the attitude? These are some questions that will help you process the actions of others while purifying your reactions to them as well. If your love filter has anything attached to it that could cause you to be offended or offensive, wash it with the truth of God's Word and you will recognize how clearer every situation becomes.

Daily Declaration-I AM ON GAURD

Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life. (NASB)