When the teaching of Jesus is a pain.

Frequent readers of this blog will remember that I’ve had a difficult time with my next door neighbour.

(We share a drive way, and there is no wall between her car port and mine).  She has often been a very angry woman, and has yelled and cursed me out on not a few occasions. (And I have not been the perfect neighbour).

The last time she cursed at me ‘twas because part of a cardboard box in which I had placed some swept up leaves had been blown by the wind, and was resting two inches on her side of the car port.

That’s when I decided that discretion would be the better part of valour, and that silence is golden. We have exchanged never a word, not even a greeting for at least a year.

She spoke to me this afternoon.  A bit of her “stuff” had been blown by yet another wind into my car port (I had not noticed it!).

She said that she was sorry that this had happened. Knowing that “a soft answer turns away wrath” I responded with “please don’t worry, these things happen – after all it’s been quite windy in recent days”.

She said “thank you for speaking to me”.  “That’s O.K.” I said, “it’s been more than a year”.

The upshot was that she went on to say that it would be good if we spoke to each other, and I agreed. 

We were as near to cordial as is possible: given our troubled history.

Here’s the rub.  I have, against my sinful will, being praying for her in recent weeks, having been “convicted” by the scripture “bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:28).

Oh shoot!  The teaching of Jesus in the gospels goes against my grain!  That’s why I have to submit my sinful will to the will of God.