While they’ve faded as fast as the fad arrived, fidget spinners were all the rage for a few short months. You couldn’t go anywhere without the seeing a child spinning the trinket between their fingers. Although the fidget spinner was absent from my childhood, I had something far better: the rubber band.
There was no end to the possibilities. You could wear it, stretch it, connect it, or shoot it.. But, in elementary school, our game of choice was sending little paper projectiles flying across the classroom. We called them wasps, and for good reason. If one connected on bare skin, it was sure to leave a mark.
Most of our games were anything but gentle. There had to be some degree of violence. Slapping, thumping or pencil breaking. As an adult, I’ve left those games behind. But, sadly, I can be pretty quick to snap at others with similar force. James pretty much has me pegged.
from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing—James 3:10
Let someone mess up my order, cut me off in traffic, or simply be rude, and I’m snapping back. The smallest outward inconvenience turns into an intense inner situation. And, then I think of Jesus.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth—Isaiah 53:7
In the midst of undeserved and ultimate insult and humiliation, Jesus kept silent, living out His teaching from the Beatitudes.
When most of us hear gentle or meek, we think weak. We think getting run over. We think spineless. But, do any of those words describe Jesus? Jesus was gentle, but no one would call Him weak. Nails did not hold Jesus to the cross. He chose in his strength to stay and suffer.
Instead of weakness, gentleness is simply surrendered strength. Gentleness is choosing to submit your strength to the Savior. Strength isn’t for your benefit. It’s to serve others.
No doubt you will face insult and inconvenience today. Be the rubber band. Stretch, don’t snap. Surrender your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. Follow the footsteps of Jesus.
Thanks so much for the reminder to stretch not snap. I really like the idea of gentleness being surrendered strength as I turn the situation over to God who can actually do something real about it. What a relief that I don’t have to fix everything. Good stuff.
Thanks so much!
This was great! I’m currently writing on the same topic, so this was on point! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!
Stretch, don’t snap. A simple statement that, if I keep it in mind, can keep me from overacting. I struggle with snapping off a comment that would be better left unsaid.
Thanks!
Great post. The analogy of the rubber bands is right on target. I worked at a restaurant once and we would snap each other with wet towels. OUCH! But, I’m guilty of “snapping” sometimes, too. Especially at other drivers when they do dangerous things. Like you, I try to think of Jesus and get myself under control. Even so, I appreciate the reminder!
Thanks for reading! Glad I’m not the only one!
The rubber band is such a great example of meekness. Brilliant!
perhaps I should wear a rubber band on my wrist for a couple of days to remind me to stretch instead of snapping. (Thankfully, the boys at my elementary school didn’t play your “wasp” game.)