Cheesy Decision

Isn’t it wonderful how we can make online friends – and call them dear friends – even though we’ve never met them face to face? That is the case for my guest blogger today and Friday. I met Kerin Mesanko through SparkPeople and we hit it off right away. Both of us were aspiring writers at the time and since we met, Kerin has published a devotional book “Broken Beads on My Moccasins” based on major events in her own life. She shares what the Lord taught her through these events and she is honest, transparent, sometimes funny, always gentle and loving. For more information on her book, and to place an order, click on the book cover above! A “must” devotional book for every woman!


Cheesy Decision

Never take your own revenge, beloved. If your enemy is hungry,
feed him. Romans 12:19a, 20a (NASB)

I stood fuming as I prepared my husband’s lunch for his midnight work shift. Married just a few months, we seemed to quarrel over everything, and his word was always final. Never able to have the last say or finish an argument bothered me greatly. But Denny would generally end the debate before things got out of control. Being someone who likes closure, I often felt frustrated.
Opening the refrigerator, I pulled out two slices of pre-wrapped cheese. A devious thought came to mind. Embracing my more mischievous side, I giggled while making the decision to keep the plastic covering on the cheese, positioning the slices neatly between bologna, mustard, and bread. Then putting both sandwiches in Baggies, I placed them in his lunchbox. Vengeance would be mine.

Over thirty years of marriage later, I’d like to think that I’ve learned to handle my thirst for revenge by turning away from childish actions that might anger or harm another. But on occasion I find, whether intentional or not, that I’ve somehow managed to leave the wrappers on the cheese again.

By careless or sometimes well-rehearsed words or actions, I can sabotage a perfectly good meal of another’s day. This meal would be defined as anything that could have helped that individual grow closer to God and/or humanity.

Making a conscious effort to give all things to God and let Him deal with others as He sees fit is still a struggle, as my hunger for mischief is often intense. But as I yield to God’s perfect wisdom, my reputation and future becomes more secure and others learn to trust me.

Years ago, Denny came home from work early the next morning, crawled into bed and slid his arms around me. He admitted that he was so upset with our fighting he couldn’t even eat the lunch I had packed him.

Feeling guilty about what I had done, yet thankful that my actions hadn’t caused us to continue the battle, all I could manage to say was, “That’s okay. You wouldn’t have liked the cheese.”

Lord, help us to practice more mercy and less revenge. Amen.