A Moment of Change
I cared for my parents in their old age for many years in our home.
One day my mother came into our side of the house and told me that my father refused to take his heart medicine. My history of reacting to my father was not a good one. Since he was a very “blunt” and “tell it like he saw it” kind of person, tact and gentleness of speech were not his way. So many times I felt exasperated with my father. I’m sad to say that usually my reaction to what he said was harsh disagreement with an attempt to set him straight. I’m sure that was hurtful to him.
I had just memorized Hebrews 12:14-15. “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy . . . See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
My habit has been to keep reading a passage of the Bible and meditate on it sometimes for weeks at a time. Every time I have done that, God has used that scripture to change me. This was no exception.
As I walked out our laundry room door and over to my parents’ apartment that day, Hebrews 12:14-15 suddenly came to my mind and heart. I was changed in my reactions to my father, and I knew it.
I sat in the chair next to my dad, took his hand, and said gently, “You know I love you, right?” He nodded. I then reminded him that Todd and Erin’s wedding was a month away. “Dad,” I said, “if you don’t take your medicine, you may not get to go to their wedding, and we all want you there.” He immediately said, “Ruth, go ahead . . . get my medicine. I’ll take it.”
From that moment on I was changed. My father was still blunt and tactless from time to time, but my reactions were forever changed.
It has been my experience that my perspective (often wrong) of a person or situation feels like absolute truth to me. I have also experienced the pain of being misunderstood because of another person’s wrong perception of me.
How grateful I am for God’s forgiveness and His grace extended to me. His plan for me is to extend grace to others. What a simple concept . . . easy to receive grace . . . often hard to give it. God used these verses I memorized to change my heart and my reactions to many people from that time on.
My father lived for over two more years since that experience and I have always treasured that time. We had a closeness that I hadn’t experienced before.
One day my mother came into our side of the house and told me that my father refused to take his heart medicine. My history of reacting to my father was not a good one. Since he was a very “blunt” and “tell it like he saw it” kind of person, tact and gentleness of speech were not his way. So many times I felt exasperated with my father. I’m sad to say that usually my reaction to what he said was harsh disagreement with an attempt to set him straight. I’m sure that was hurtful to him.
I had just memorized Hebrews 12:14-15. “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy . . . See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
My habit has been to keep reading a passage of the Bible and meditate on it sometimes for weeks at a time. Every time I have done that, God has used that scripture to change me. This was no exception.
As I walked out our laundry room door and over to my parents’ apartment that day, Hebrews 12:14-15 suddenly came to my mind and heart. I was changed in my reactions to my father, and I knew it.
I sat in the chair next to my dad, took his hand, and said gently, “You know I love you, right?” He nodded. I then reminded him that Todd and Erin’s wedding was a month away. “Dad,” I said, “if you don’t take your medicine, you may not get to go to their wedding, and we all want you there.” He immediately said, “Ruth, go ahead . . . get my medicine. I’ll take it.”
From that moment on I was changed. My father was still blunt and tactless from time to time, but my reactions were forever changed.
It has been my experience that my perspective (often wrong) of a person or situation feels like absolute truth to me. I have also experienced the pain of being misunderstood because of another person’s wrong perception of me.
How grateful I am for God’s forgiveness and His grace extended to me. His plan for me is to extend grace to others. What a simple concept . . . easy to receive grace . . . often hard to give it. God used these verses I memorized to change my heart and my reactions to many people from that time on.
My father lived for over two more years since that experience and I have always treasured that time. We had a closeness that I hadn’t experienced before.
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