Over my life span, I’ve noticed something:
I have a whole lotta pet peeves.
Like dogs barking between 4 am-8 am.
Or locked doors.
Or when I am asked any sort of question in the morning.
…really just mornings in general.
Traffic. (So to help that pet peeve disappear, I moved to California.)
The list could go on and on, but funny enough, I can’t think of anymore right now.
While with my 8th grade girls in life groups this past Tuesday, we were talking about character and how to build good character in the times where being nice is the last thing on our minds.
One first step? Recognizing your flaws. Noticing those little things that just rub you the wrong way. Pinpointing that one thing that annoys you.
And change it.
Change the way you react to a locked door (I get unreasonably frustrated). Breathe when someone rides your tail even when you are going 5 over the speed limit (or was it 10? Sorry Dad). Send a quick prayer up to Jesus when someone tries to wake you up before your alarm, because man do you need Him the most right at that moment than any other part of the day.
Because when we change the way we fly off the handle when someone wakes us up or cuts us off in traffic, we are changing our character. We are changing for the better. We are slowly but surely (sometimes it feels like slow motion), we are becoming more and more like Jesus.
Because we all know that when we ask ourselves “What Would Jesus Do” when He couldn’t find one unlocked door in the church? We all know that the answer is: not what we want to do right now. (Which for me is complain and complain until my face turns blue, usually to my mom because she is the only one who answers her phone in my time of need.)
WWJD when someone cuts Him off in traffic? Well He simply parts the sea of cars and speeds past them all..
Lolololol no He doesn’t do that. Only when He is in a really big hurry.
He reacts with peace, with grace, with mercy, with so much forgiveness that we can’t even begin to understand.
Jesus is Jesus in those moments. And let’s face it, we aren’t. And that’s okay.
But day by day, Jesus can make us more like Him. He can help us notice those pet peeves and change them, one day at a time. But we have to let Him.
So what are you noticing today that you could maybe try and change tomorrow?
How can we take that first step towards becoming a little more like Jesus?
And once you think of something, do it.
See ya soon,
Stephanie Lynn
gwenn | lynn 