My ex-colleague who is an eastern pagan idol worshiper stole my washer and dryer today with her family members. She literally came into my large domicile and unhooked them and took them. She did not need them and I had laid claim to them because I did need them. My other colleague, a lukewarm Christian, watched her do it, and also told her I had thought about keeping the refrigerator because I thought I might need that too (when I move out of here). So the pagan worshiper left a nasty note on the refrigerator saying that it was mandated that it stay in this building, because she said so. She really had no more right to those items than I had, and I actually could make a legal claim for them, but I will not, because Jesus says if someone takes your cloak, give them your tunic also.
I am a poor single mother, and she and all her family came in and literally took my washer and dryer. She put it ‘in storage’ (per my other colleague’s report). But she likely gave it to her children to have. Now I have no way to wash clothes and will have to go to a laundromat to wash my and my sons’ clothes. She has taken other things from me as well, and she is escalating in her boldness in doing so. She really does not want me to have anything, while she and my other colleague get whatever they want (they have been carting out a lot of furniture for themselves).
I console myself and rejoice because I am constantly having to deal with this behavior from my wicked ex-colleagues and I pray that I continue to be humble in my behavior back toward them. I want my actions to be like Jesus’ actions would be. I talk to God and I talk myself through the hard times. And I rejoice because I know if she hates me that much for no apparent reason, it means that the devil in her smells the righteousness in me.
For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. ~1 John 3:11-14
In these types of stressful situations with my wicked colleague, I also think a lot of this verse because she acts hatefully toward me as often as she can:
If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ~John 15:18-21
There are a LOT of haters in the world. There are more people who hate than who love, so being the victim of true hateful actions is a common happenstance for most of us. It is difficult to constantly be on the side of being the hated, but it is still better than being on the side of the hateful.
Thank You for this good word, God. I love You. I know you see my anguish and persecution. I consider suffering in the name of Jesus a blessing.
~Song of Mary~ 