Absolution or Absolutely Not: Being Nice

 
So, clearly, I've been having a writing drought this month. Part of this is because I simply don't have any new ideas. The other part is I don't really have time to form any new ideas because I'm working so much. The month following a quarter-end (March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31) is a brutal time for me. I have worked over 24 hours straight before. In the past 6 months I've missed two concerts because I was working so late I couldn't go...one of them was last week. It was Ingrid Michaelson. I was a little bit crushed. Add on to that, I was working until nearly midnight and eating things like Panera and Taco Bell for dinner. I was sad. And drained. And eventually, I turned into a raging B%#$*. (see note*)

I wasn't being unprofessional, but  I'm ashamed to say I wasn't very nice for maybe 2 whole days. And when it was over, and I had calmed myself down with contemporary gospel on Spotify, I realized: There's no way I was shining the light of Christ on those days.

Not. At. All.


But do I have to be nice? All the time? Regardless of circumstances? 

I felt kinda bad, so I started looking for absolution. GOOGLE! What did I google? "Do Christians have to be nice." Google is great for finding absolution. You can find a nice blog, or a cool sermon that really caters to your nonsense. For example, I found a blog that said:

"This belief [regarding Christians being nice] will destroy the ability to for Christians to have any influence because nice people always finish last. Jesus was not a nice man.  Jesus broke the rules, got in fights, disrespected the leaders, did what he was told not to do, and even broke tradition.  Jesus is not nice, Jesus is dangerous and unpredictable."

Absolution or Absolutely Not? 

Sigh. Absolutely not. At least, absolutely not in my case. First of all, I see where this guy is going with the above quote. Christians are called to live bold lives WHEN IT COMES TO SPREADING THE GOSPEL. But Jesus broke no laws, He fulfilled it (Matthew 5:17). License to be mean: revoked.

I don't know how you can call a guy who heals the sick, raises the dead, and feeds the hungry multitudes a "meanie" but...whatevs. I know what he's getting at. Jesus did shake things up, but it's not because he was having a bad day. License to be mean: revoked.

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 

Ephesians 4:29 (NASB)

She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. 

Proverbs 31:26 (NASB)

Proverbs 31 Woman? Not me. Not last week. 

I wonder what else I have tried to absolve myself of...and did I succeed? 

*Note: I don't curse. So even in my mind, that's a "bleep" but trust me, the "bleep" was real.