When God Whispers Your Name Chapter 13 questions

When Crickets Make You Cranky:

Points to Ponder:

     " When we are mistreated, our animalistic response is to go on the hunt. Instinctively we double up our fists. Getting even is only natural. Which, incidentally, is precisely the problem. Revenge is natural, not spiritual. Getting even is the rule of the jungle. Giving grace is the rule of the kingdom."

     1.) Does the " rule of the jungle" or the " rule of the kingdom" most often characterize your response to mistreatment?

     2.) Give an example of how you react to mistreatment.

     " Revenge is irreverent. When we strike back we are saying, ' I know vengeance is yours, God, but I just didn't think you'd punish enough. I thought I'd better take this situation into my own hands. You have a tendency to be a little soft.'"

     1.) Have you ever felt the way the paragraph above describes? Explain.

     2.) If you've ever acted out this feeling, what was the result?

     " Forgiveness comes easier with a wide-angle lens. Joseph uses one to get the whole picture. He refuses to focus on the betrayal of his brothers without also seeing the loyalty of his God."

     1.) How does forgiveness comes easier with a " wide-angle lens?"

     2.) How is it made more difficult with a " telephoto lens"?

Wisdom from the Word:

     Read Proverbs 20:22. What negative command is given here? What positive command is given? How do the two work together?

     Read Genesis 50:15-21. Did Joseph have a right to be angry about the way his brothers mistreated him? How did he react? What was the result? If you were Joseph, how do you think you would have reacted?