“Preserve me from minding little stings or giving them”-Day by Day, November 1993
I have read this line, among many others, just about every day for over a decade. For some reason it just jumped out at me to share it today…maybe you needed to hear it…or maybe I needed to hear it. I don’t know why I’m suppose to share this …but I just listen and obey when the spirit directs me.
You know what a little sting is right? Its something that someone says that is intended to hurt you just a little. It is often a minor thing and usually based on the moment. It tends to reflect how someone is feeling about themselves or about life at the time, and it becomes a verbal missile over some little thing.
Most of the time a little sting, unfortunately, has a lasting effect. You know what I mean don’t you? Someone says something out of anger or frustration to you, and it hurts for the rest of the day…sometimes longer. Often the other person doesn’t even realize the lasting effect of the words. What is worse is when someone delivers a little sting and we sting right back. Now we have the potential for escalation to something major that really started over something minimal and, most likely, the true root cause didn’t even involve the two people in the first place!
If you’re conscious of the fact that you just stung someone…likely, within minutes of the sting, you regret it. The emotion of the moment has faded. This is why its best to take a deep breath and let it go up front. If someone stings you, try to just breathe and recognize that its really not you…let it pass….when you are tempted to do the stinging, adopt the same approach…take a breathe and don’t say it out loud! The moment will pass, and you will be very glad you held your tongue.
I struggle with this as much as you probably do…so lets all just take a deep breath together.
