Have you ever been misunderstood? Then you are not alone, as Jesus himself was misunderstood (Mark 3). When Jesus returned to his hometown, went into the synagogue and as all of us know on the Sabbath day the Jewish culture gathers in the synagogue for worship. Well, when Jesus saw the man with a withered hand he asked him to stand up in front of everyone. Tthe Pharisees which were very religious, and educated, and could probably quote the scriptures back and forth, and probably could give you chapter and verse of each scripture they recited. When they saw Jesus, as they knew him from growing up, no doubt they looked at him in a very suspicious manner as they had probably heard about all the wonderful things he was now doing, now that he is an adult. Yet, in their hearts they saw him as a youngster. He is in the synagogue with all the older men and women that had watched him grow up, and he is going to ask someone to stand up, and violate the Sabbath and heal this man on the Sabbath?!? Jesus was very much misunderstood because he was Lord of the Sabbath, and it is always good to do good on the Sabbath. Not only was this man healed but as the word traveled more and more were coming to see Jesus, bringing their sick love ones. Well, these older people and religious leaders thought Jesus had absolutely lost his ever loving mind, the nerve of him, who does he think he is anyway?! They were jealous, envious, and they had a head knowledge of God but not the spirit of God. Jesus was misunderstood. Jesus only purpose was to come to the earth to do the will of his Father, and did not come with his own agenda.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "to be great is to be misunderstood," You may think, if that's true, you are greater than you thought. I too have been misunderstood, as years ago before I moved to Southfield, I was unemployed, had a sick husband, and three small children. I would take my children to school, and while doing this I observed so many children going to school with their hair not combed, walking home alone, and just looked down right sad. One day my oldest daughter, Debbie, asked me if one of her friend's could come over after school, they were having half day, and Kim did not want to go home and stay all by herself. Kim lived with her sister as her parents were deceased, and Debbie and Kim were about seven years of age, I was happy to have Kim over to play with Debbie as Carletta and Tim were babies.
Kim was no trouble at all, and I pondered in my heart and mind that when her sister came by to pick up Kim, as they lived on the next street I would see if I could help her, so I offered to allow Kim to come over after school, so she would not have to be in the house by herself and whatever I gave Debbie for a snack, Kim was welcomed. Well, Kim's sister looked at me so strange, stating she has never ever heard of anyone being that kind, and nice, and she wondered what did I want from her. She said she had never seen anything like this in all the days of her life and she thought I had an ulterior motive. My only motive was that I wanted to help, I was home with my children and one more would not make a difference. She never came back. I asked Debbie why, and she said Kim told her that her sister did not want her to work at my house, so she couldn't come back. The most Kim did was wash the plate she ate her snack. Oh well!!!!!
Now that was many, many years ago, but recently I was misunderstood when I wrote my blog last month speaking of my birthday, I received a few emails stating that my daughters were wonderful people too, not just my son. However, I explained to them that the blog was about my birthday and what I did on my birthday. However, I thought it was creative that my son surprised me and told me I had a package at the airport and the package was himself. I had to tell at least about four people that I was talking about my birthday not my children. I asked my children not to give me gifts this year because I wanted them to save all their money for next year. My daughters asked to buy me gifts, and I said no. Someone even said, they felt sorry for my daughters. My oldest daughter called me the same day she read the blog and said, yeah, that's your baby boy and she laughed.
I know I will be misunderstood, even though my motive and intent is pure, but that's a part of life, however, I never intend to offend. However, I know there are times when I will offend and not intend. I will have to accept it, acknowledge my "stuff", because I can't fix that which I don't acknowledge and grow thru the experience.
If you are misunderstood, take heart, you are not alone, hopefully you'll find comfort as you realize you're not the only person to face this challenge. I know that when misunderstanding take place, it sometimes attacks our character and that hurts...deeply. Further, Jesus was human just like we are, he endured, therefore, so can we, I know I can. I refuse to allow my life to be consumed by the acid of resentment and crippled by the misery of bitterness.
We can get thru being misunderstood with God's help and we can grow from the experience. Since being great is to be misunderstood, then to be greater is to forgive the one who misunderstood. Which one do you want to become?!
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "to be great is to be misunderstood," You may think, if that's true, you are greater than you thought. I too have been misunderstood, as years ago before I moved to Southfield, I was unemployed, had a sick husband, and three small children. I would take my children to school, and while doing this I observed so many children going to school with their hair not combed, walking home alone, and just looked down right sad. One day my oldest daughter, Debbie, asked me if one of her friend's could come over after school, they were having half day, and Kim did not want to go home and stay all by herself. Kim lived with her sister as her parents were deceased, and Debbie and Kim were about seven years of age, I was happy to have Kim over to play with Debbie as Carletta and Tim were babies.
Kim was no trouble at all, and I pondered in my heart and mind that when her sister came by to pick up Kim, as they lived on the next street I would see if I could help her, so I offered to allow Kim to come over after school, so she would not have to be in the house by herself and whatever I gave Debbie for a snack, Kim was welcomed. Well, Kim's sister looked at me so strange, stating she has never ever heard of anyone being that kind, and nice, and she wondered what did I want from her. She said she had never seen anything like this in all the days of her life and she thought I had an ulterior motive. My only motive was that I wanted to help, I was home with my children and one more would not make a difference. She never came back. I asked Debbie why, and she said Kim told her that her sister did not want her to work at my house, so she couldn't come back. The most Kim did was wash the plate she ate her snack. Oh well!!!!!
Now that was many, many years ago, but recently I was misunderstood when I wrote my blog last month speaking of my birthday, I received a few emails stating that my daughters were wonderful people too, not just my son. However, I explained to them that the blog was about my birthday and what I did on my birthday. However, I thought it was creative that my son surprised me and told me I had a package at the airport and the package was himself. I had to tell at least about four people that I was talking about my birthday not my children. I asked my children not to give me gifts this year because I wanted them to save all their money for next year. My daughters asked to buy me gifts, and I said no. Someone even said, they felt sorry for my daughters. My oldest daughter called me the same day she read the blog and said, yeah, that's your baby boy and she laughed.
I know I will be misunderstood, even though my motive and intent is pure, but that's a part of life, however, I never intend to offend. However, I know there are times when I will offend and not intend. I will have to accept it, acknowledge my "stuff", because I can't fix that which I don't acknowledge and grow thru the experience.
If you are misunderstood, take heart, you are not alone, hopefully you'll find comfort as you realize you're not the only person to face this challenge. I know that when misunderstanding take place, it sometimes attacks our character and that hurts...deeply. Further, Jesus was human just like we are, he endured, therefore, so can we, I know I can. I refuse to allow my life to be consumed by the acid of resentment and crippled by the misery of bitterness.
We can get thru being misunderstood with God's help and we can grow from the experience. Since being great is to be misunderstood, then to be greater is to forgive the one who misunderstood. Which one do you want to become?!
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