Proverbs 19:10-12
Luxury is not appropriate for a fool;
how much less for a servant to rule over princes!
A person’s wisdom makes him slow to anger,
and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
A king’s wrath is like the roar of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
Remember the good ole days when things were made with American Steel? I don’t really. I’ve heard a lot about them from Old Timers who talk about them. But that’s not the America I grew up in. I grew up in the America where cheap was what drove the economy. So, the goal of manufacturers was to make the products as cheaply as possible so they could make as much money as possible.
People are going to offend you. That’s a part of living in a fallen world. People are out for themselves, and because of that, there will be a time with their path intersects yours in a negative way. They are on a journey that is different from yours. They are out to get something different from what you’re out to get. And because of that, they may very well steam roll over you as they’re building the road to their dreams.
We can get upset by it. It’s frustrating. Even painful. We feel justified in defending ourselves and seeking to avenge the wrong that has been done to us. And perhaps, by worldly standards we are justified. But those standards are built on faulty presuppositions.
Worldly standards are built on the knowledge, judgement and wisdom of a world in the absence of God. They’re not always wrong. But they’re not always right. They’re like the made in China version of some product. The original version was a well designed and well built product. It would last for a long time and not need much repair. But then someone decides they want to make a cheaper version of it. So they outsource it to China and use plastic parts in place of metal. They do everything they can to bring the cost of the product down so they can make a few more pennies off us. And while you get a version of the product, it’s not as good as the original.
We, instead, need to use standards that are built on the wisdom of the God who created the earth on the foundation of wisdom. While the world would tell us that we are justified in seeking revenge for the wrongs done to us, the wisdom of God tells us that we will be lifted up when we overlook an offense.
This goes against what the world will say, but we’re not just trying to among the herd of those roaming the hillside of the knowledge of this world. No, we are preparing for an existence that is far greater than the daily struggle of this life. We are preparing for an eternity that cannot even be comprehended by our limited thinking.
So, go ahead and live by the worlds standards if you want. Just know that you’re buying the plastic knock off that will be ruined and worthless in a short time. If you want something that will last you need to buy the real deal.
