Actions and Reactions

My husband and I took a Fall camping trip this last week since we are experiencing exceptionally warm weather in Colorado for October.  It was beautiful with the changing colors and so quiet since the only other campers were other retired couples like us. In one of our walks, we came upon a Birder – one who watches birds as a hobby. He was using a powerful scope to watch a particular species of bird from a long distance. We stopped to chat and he explained that this bird in particular that he was watching looked similar to the shore birds of that lake, but as they migrated through the area they seemed mean and chased the resident birds, generally unsettling their normally peaceful life for a while. Sounds like what people do to each other doesn’t it?  It made me think of a comment I had made the other day to someone, saying I would speak to them in a private way about their question since my answer did not involve any of the other folks. But some others took my privacy as an offense, thinking I was withholding information that they wanted. My immediate reaction was to want to defend myself because they were thinking the worst of me without cause.  I decided to not comment further to justify my reasoning even though it was unsettling to me to have them comment unfairly.  It reminded me of Jesus, who did not answer or retaliate when He was unjustly insulted. In all humbleness of heart, I want my actions and reactions to be honoring to Jesus since I bear His name as a Christian.