Allow God to Define Your Character

During a three day liquid fast, the phone rang. I immediately looked at the caller I.D. It was that person calling me again that I didn't want to talk to. I didn't answer it. As soon as I put the phone down, the Lord said to me, "Do not allow others to define your character." I had to stop for a minute to think about what he had just given me. I knew that the person calling was going to ask me to do something that I really didn't want to do. Rather than have the long discussion as to why I couldn't do it, I would just avoid the call. Just like that he dropped his wisdom on me; however, I was hoping for a deep moving word from the Lord. I was waiting to receive divine revelation. This was not what the word for which I had been waiting. By not taking the call, I was giving that person the opportunity to think of me in an unfavorable manner. I was allowing that person to define who they thought I was. She could have possibly thought, "She's rude and inconsiderate. She wouldn't even return my call." This individual could rightfully think that about me, because I hadn't planned on disproving it by returning her call. As a matter of fact, I had no intention of talking to her at all. Although, it wasn't like I would never see the person again either. Actually, I would have been seeing that individual in about two weeks. When I saw her face to face, what could I say. What excuse could I offer that wasn't a lie? Unless I lied, I wouldn't have an excuse. Before I called her back, I prayed that the Lord would order my speech and bless me with a spirit of bravery and boldness to have the conversation that I knew would ensue. I did it. I called her back. Of course she told me that she had already called me twice. I did all that I knew to do. I apologized. I apologized for not getting back with her sooner and moved on. Then she began to ask me questions that I knew were leading up to the ultimate question. I broke in at that point and just gave her the answer to the question that she hadn't asked but was leading up to. I politely explained the situation and she understood. It was quick and simple. It wasn't this long drawn out conversation that I previously thought we would have. Now, she could not paint the wrong picture of me. I didn't do what she needed me to; however, I handled the situation with integrity. I felt so much better after this. Later on, a relative of mine told me that she too received a call from the same person and she too didn't take her call. She knew that she would be asked the same question that I answered but hadn't been asked, but she didn't want to have the conversation at all. So, she refused to take her call. The Lord showed me that I had to do the right thing no matter who else was or was not doing it. I had to grow up in him and this was part of it. Part of growing up meant being able to do the right thing even when it isn't easy nor was it popular. The word that he gave me that day was exactly the word that I needed at that point in my walk with God. God's Word is always right on time. I just didn't realize it then. If I couldn't do the right thing by him in this situation, why should he give me this deeper revelation for which I had been looking? Another time, I called an individual on two different occasions. Neither time did she call me back nor even make mention of the fact that she received my message. I'd like to say I did the Godly thing and gave her the benefit of the doubt, but I didn't. I called her rude. I wished I had stopped there, but I didn't. I went on to say that she didn't have to worry about me calling her again, because I wasn't. At a later date, I agreed to do something for her. When the time came, I honestly forgot about it. Part of me wanted to call her and apologize for forgetting to do what I told her I would. The other part of me was like, "Oh, well. Too bad, I missed it. I'm not calling her. Why should I call her? She didn't call me back," and I moved on. A few minutes later, I was convicted. The Lord reminded me, "Do not allow others to define your character." Despite what that individual did not do, I know the right thing to do, and I am held accountable for doing it (period). No, she didn't handle the situation correctly. However, that didn't give me the green light to do the same. Even if she didn't handle the situation the way that I thought she should have, why couldn't I give her an out (the same out that I would have wanted someone to give me)? What would it have cost me to say that I wouldn't hold it against her? It wouldn't have cost me a thing. Two wrongs don't make a right, nor would they have made me feel better. The Lord doesn't want to hear my excuses about why I didn't do what he told me to do. Why should I allow someone the opportunity to think about me in in less than a pleasing light? The Lord is showing me that Christians are called to a higher level of accountability. We aren't given the option as to whether or not we want to take him up on it. We just have to do it. There are no other options. Christians are to do the right thing despite how we or anyone else may feel about it. How we feel about it really is irrelevant. If the Lord said do it, then do it. There it is! If you ever find yourself in similar situations, do the right thing.