Everybody’s Got Somethin’

Everybody’s Got Somethin’ KAREN EHMAN “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” Proverbs 19:11 (ESV) My intense irritation at my husband’s actions didn’t show visibly. Since his mother was in the backseat of our car, I was careful to remain calm. However, I did sneak a darting glance toward him — a dagger //that accurately conveyed how very much I hated what he’d just done. * dirt; a small, slender missile that is pointed at one end and usually feathered at the other and is propelled by hand, as in the game of darts, or by a blowgun when used as a weapon. His dire offense? Failure to use his blinker /when changing lanes. I am a by-the-books driver. My kids chuckle when I dutifully use my blinker /before turning into our driveway, even when no one is around — which is nearly 99 percent of the time, since we live /near the end of a road /with a cul-de-sac. Therefore, it aggravates me /when my dear husband sometimes behaves /as if turn signal usage is completely optional. This particular day, we were shuttling my mother-in-law /to her doctor’s appointment. As I sat in the waiting room, my mind began to tally, one-by-one, other perfectly irksome things () I didn’t like about my man’s behavior. He leaves the closet and cupboard doors open. Open! He didn’t return the stapler /to its proper place /when he finished using it /the other day. That time we bumped into his co-worker, he didn’t even introduce me. He never remembers the details of our conversations. As each scenario popped into my mind, I grew more and more annoyed. Across from me sat a chatty elderly woman. The weather reports were calling for an ice storm /later that afternoon. She spoke of some people /all in a tizzy /about the impending inclement weather, declaring () they needed to remember one important fact, “Everybody’s got somethin’.” * tizzy; a state of nervous excitement or agitation. * impend; be about to happen. I asked her just what she meant by that. “Well,” she elaborated, “when we lived in Kansas, it was dust storms and tornadoes. Then, the few years we lived in southern Florida, we had to prepare /for hurricanes. And, when we were stationed in California, oh what a drought we had that one year. Like I say,” she restated, “Everybody’s got somethin’.” My waiting room friend’s atmospheric observation spiritually snapped me /to attention that day. Why, oh why, do I let [certain aspects of my husband’s personality and conduct] bother me so easily? Surely I do things that drive him equally crazy? Undoubtedly, I sometimes irk or offend him /with my behavior? In fact: “Everybody’s got somethin’” — some behavior, quirk, practice or habit //that wreaks havoc on others, tempting them to become slightly irritated or even all-out furious. * irk; irritate; annoy. Today’s key verse states that “good sense makes one slow to anger” and that it is a person’s “glory to overlook an offense” (Proverbs 19:11). In the original Hebrew language, the word “glory” conveys “beauty, honor, splendor” and even “adornment.” The original essence of this verse unearths for us this line of thinking: Our patience in passing over an offense — refusing to speedily go from zero to furious over the actions of others — adorns us with true beauty and honors them. I’m not saying () it’s easy. However, it is the right — and righteous — thing to do. Why? Because we mirror the gospel /when we overlook another’s unpleasant behavior and love them anyway. So how about it? Is there someone /in your life //who sometimes gets on your nerves or under your skin — or maybe even both? Does your response to their behavior leave no doubt about your level of frustration? How about we try a new approach — intentionally overlooking irritating behavior? Yes, that means () we keep our cool. Don’t say a word. Smile instead, and love despite. In other words, reflect the gospel /to a watching world. More importantly — to a watching loved one. Father, may I learn [not to let the little quirks or even the bigger missteps of my loved ones] provoke me to instant anger. Teach me to overlook an offense /as I remember how much You’ve forgiven me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. quirk; a peculiar behavioral habit.