The Power of an Opinion Not Spoken
“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
Proverbs 3:7
These days, we’ve been conditioned to offer our opinions on just about everything. With social networking sites flickering at us from our phones, survey invitations coming over email and at the end of every customer service call, we are told our voice matters. Many of us rate the service we receive at the restaurants we visit and the quality of the products we buy online. In doing so, it’s like we’re holding a pair of scales in our hands that weigh every aspect of our lives. Until recently, I didn’t realize just how much of an impact this me-centered thinking was having on my life.
When my husband, Bruce, and I opened our home to care for my mother-in-law, God knew what he was doing. Almost immediately, the experience exposed the sin in my life to the light of day—and to his loving, sanctifying work. I wouldn’t have said it at the time, but I believed I was a caring, loving servant who would do anything for Christ. But God knew I had a problem with me-centered thinking, and he knew exactly what I needed to continue my journey of becoming more like his Son.
The first few months with my mother-in-law went fairly smoothly as we adjusted to living together. But then, God started challenging my habit of offering my opinions unsolicited as a way of “helping others improve in their behaviors”—at least that’s how I would have seen it. As you can probably imagine, there were moments of conflict and tension. But God stretched us all, and we learned more about what it means to fear the Lord and honor one another, and how to allow God to make modifications in our hearts and behaviors.
As I exercised more self-control—the fruit of the Spirit’s work in my life—I saw God working in my heart but also in Bruce’s life and in my mother-in-law’s heart as well. I learned to listen first, be slow to speak, and commit my behaviors to the Lord. Such things continue to be a daily, sanctifying work for me. The Lord is still leading us as a family, to help us see each other as blessings from him and each new day as an opportunity to grow in our love for one another.
This devotional is excerpted from a new Joni and Friends ministry resource called Care for the Caregiver, a collection of devotionals written by caregivers and for caregivers, available here.
Written By—Kimi Archer
The Heart of the Caregiver
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