Psalm 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

Opening up Biblegateway and reading the verse of the day, here quoted, my first reaction was “I don’t want your pity, I want your love.”

That reaction says nothing about God but says much about me. God can pity without showing pity. I on the other hand have not learned to separate the two. I was right in my assessment of God’s action, to show love. I was wrong in my reaction.

How many times do we react to the Word of God from the viewpoint of our human experience? If we have it so right, why is our first reactions so often wrong? Knee jerk reactions are automatic and not thought out. So often we react rather than act.

Character building is a long tedious process. Our old nature and tendencies have to be replaced where resistance to change is the natural condition. All I have to do is look at my own reactions to see where improvement is needed. All that is well and good but at the same time I must try and undo any harm that might have come about because of it.

I am not just in relationship with my Lord and Savior, I am in relationship with humanity also. I am closer to those who are in the body of Christ, but my neighbor is my neighbor saved or not. It isn’t easy to swallow your pride and say, “I am sorry. I was wrong.” Things will never get any better and you will not build better character without pushing pride aside.

I have said forgive me and been told “I don’t know if I have that much forgiveness in me.” That may be the case but I did my part, I did as the Lord asked. My forgiveness comes from the Lord, I cannot make others forgive, but I should not dwell in sorrow for the lack of it. I can only pray that they might find peace in forgiveness.