Bitterness is like a lead pipe popgun!

Let me explain!  We were kids and we were bored.  One of us decided we should make a bang.  So, he took a piece of lead pipe about 8” long and capped one end. 

He then dropped in some gun powder, packing, and a ball bearing and lay it on the ground.  He lit the fuse, and we ran.  There was an earthshaking explosion and the ball bearing rocketed into the forest.  That was expected.

What was unexpected, was that the lead pipe rocketed the opposite direction – whizzing right between us.  A cold sweat overcame me – knowing I could have been killed.

It strikes me (no pun intended) that bitterness works a lot like that.

When we are hurt by others, we get angry.  The smart person calmly discusses the matter honestly with the offender and the issue is often resolved (Ephesians 4:25-26).  But too often we stuff the anger inside and let it fester into a toxic bitter mindset.

Oh, sure there is a morbid pleasure we get when we punish our offenders by ignoring them, but the cost to bitterness is steep – like a lead pipe popgun careening towards us.

There are physical consequences such as headaches, ulcers, sleeplessness and heart attacks.  There are emotional consequences such as anxiety, panic attacks, tension, and depression.  

There are social consequences.  The bitter person loses the respect of others and often drives away those that are closest to them.  There are spiritual consequences as well that affect our relationship with God (Mark 11:25-26).

Jesus has something to teach here by example.  His ministry was hounded by the Pharisees.  In Luke 5:21 they labeled Him a blasphemer.  In Luke 5:30 they criticized his association with sinners.  In Luke 6:1-2 they accused Him of being a lawbreaker.  

If I had been Jesus, I would have been quite angry and certainly suspicious of every Pharisee.  Yet, we read in Luke 7:36, “Now one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.” 

Weird!  Dining together was a high and holy concept in the ancient middle east.  To sup with another was a positive core relational experience.  So, Jesus, knowing that the Pharisees had it out for Him, still gave that Pharisee an opportunity to speak with Him and perhaps believe. 

He did it again in Luke 11:37: Another invitation to dine – another fresh start – no animosity from His past, no ugly suspicion, no bitterness.  And yet his Pharisee host criticized Him during that meal (11:38-40). 

Surely Jesus eventually learned to avoid the Pharisees.  But then we read Luke 14:1, “Now one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine at the house of a leader of the Pharisees, they were watching him closely.”  He had forgiven and forgotten the past once again and accepted their invitation. 

We can conclude only one of two things – either Jesus was not very perceptive, or He was smart enough to lay aside yesterday’s hurts to give a man a new chance today.  

Perhaps the most phenomenal display of this heart came at Calvary.  The Pharisees watched as He hung on the cross where they had arranged for Him to die.  It was there that Jesus looked upon them and said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” – Luke 23:34.

Jesus was free from bitterness.  I wish the same could be said of us.  Who is it that makes your blood boil when you think of them?  Who do you work to avoid?  Who rates as unforgivable in your book? 

Let it go!  Jesus said, “…if you have anything against anyone, forgive him…” – Mark 11:25.

Booker T. Washington, a former slave put it this way, “I will never allow any man to destroy or denigrate my soul by making me hate him.”  

So let it go!

A PRAYER: Forgiveness is a divine work.  Lord, give us the grace to do it.

This has been Jim Johnson and pickleheavenpress.com

May the grace of the Lord be with you.

Scripture passages are from the NETBible ®