Choose The High Road

A friend reminded me today that choosing to take the high road in difficult and uncomfortable situations is not always an easy thing to do. It is an easy thing to say, and good advise to give to others, “Just take the high road!” But when the proverbial chickens come home to roost, well, tis not always so easy.

It's kind of like the old Church Mother my former pastor knew. Every time someone was sick or had a problem, she’d say, “Honey, just tell the devil he’s a liar!”

This went on for quite some time, and then one day, Mother was sick. One of the young people said, “Mother, just tell the devil he’s a liar!”

Mother replied, “But honey, he ain’t lyin' this time!”

Advise is good until we have to take the medicine ourselves, then we are left with a choice. Do we just espouse rhetoric for the sake of sounding spiritually brilliant, or do we live the advise we so freely give?

When our names are scandalized, when our reputations are laid to bare, when we are not liked because of a particular stand taken, when the ‘green-eyed’ giant of jealousy rears his ugly head, when the favor of God causes tongues to wagging, what is our first inclination?

For the sinner and the seasoned Saint, the first thoughts are the same, “Let me explain…let me set you straight…you don’t know the whole story…” And sometimes we want to say, "Hold it just a minute, dude...let me tell YOU something...!"

In other words, we want to fix it. We think that if we tell them to keep their raggedy noses out of our business, they would be SO much better off! And they would be better off for sure, but would setting the record straight benefit them, or is it just that it would make us feel better?

Would they change their opinion because we gave them ‘what for’? If we extended to them the cold shoulder of dis-fellowship or rolled our eyes in disgust, would they stop their gainsaying and respect us more?

I admit to failing at this time and again. Being the only girl in a family of six boys, I had to learn to stick up for myself or they would run me over. So now, even in adulthood…sanctified adulthood, it is still difficult at times keeping my lips zipped and letting the high road speak for me.

It does have a voice, you know. The high road speaks volumes…

It says that my silence is my defense. Some might think that not answering rebuke or hurtful remarks is a sign of guilt, but I would disagree. It takes courage to remain quiet when the world is blabbering their lives away.

And by turning in silence and showing kindness in the face of those who speak evil of me, it says two things...it says that God has my back in this, and that I am forgiving as I have been forgiven.

Most importantly, the voice of the high road ensures my peace of mind and keeps my well of joy full. It is a fact that I cannot control what the masses say or think, but I can control my reaction to their actions.

And when the time is right, God will speak. It may come in added favor on the job or in my church. It may come through someone coming to know the Lord in a more and perfect way through my example. His voice may show up in a myriad of ways, but when He speaks, it will be abundantly clear that it is God.

So, in the midst of all the choices we make on a daily basis, let me encourage you as I encourage myself today, take the high road.

'Clearing the air' really doesn’t clear it at all…it just makes the Way harder to see.