Why You Can’t Change the Other Guy
2 Timothy 2:24-26 As a servant of the Lord, you must not argue. You must be kind to everyone. You must be a good teacher, and you must be patient. You must gently teach those who don’t agree with you. Maybe God will let them change their hearts so that they can accept the truth. The devil has trapped them and now makes them do what he wants. But maybe they can wake up to see what is happening and free themselves from the devil’s trap.
One of the most frustrating things in relationships is that other people can be so dense sometimes. (Never us, of course – just them.) And have you noticed how stubborn they are? Almost impossible to change.
I know you know what I’m talking about. We’ve all been there. You can see someone’s simply got it wrong. You can see they’re headed down the wrong path. You can see the damage that it’s causing, or about to cause. And yet you can argue with them until you’re blue in the face, but they stubbornly refuse to listen. Why is that?
I saw this the other day – I don’t know who wrote it, but it’s a sobering response to that question: Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.
Ain’t that the truth?! So how do you respond to that difficult person then, in a godly way?
2 Timothy 2:24-26 As a servant of the Lord, you must not argue. You must be kind to everyone. You must be a good teacher, and you must be patient. You must gently teach those who don’t agree with you. Maybe God will let them change their hearts so that they can accept the truth. The devil has trapped them and now makes them do what he wants. But maybe they can wake up to see what is happening and free themselves from the devil’s trap.
The godly response is kindness, patience, gentleness, as we try to teach them … because that gives God something to work with. After all, only He can change them. Only He can set them free from the devil’s snare. Kindness, patience, gentleness.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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Michael Adams
“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to ...
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“But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”
2 Timothy 2:20-26 KJVAAE
https://bible.com/bible/546/2ti.2.20-26.KJVAAE
Thank you I needed this more than anyone realize sometime we seems to forget that “Patient is the virtue of success that great things come to those who have the patient to wait.”