It’s been driving me crazy- —— Where did my spurs go? I have looked everywhere, the feed truck, headquarters, the tack room, under the bed, the closet…..Well, you get the picture.
How could I lose them? Not these spurs, my son made them. Did someone sneak in and steal them?
O.K…., just replay the events when I last wore them. We were gathering the middle pasture, that’s the last time I wore them. Let’s see…….the next day my nephew rode my horse, I let him borrow my spurs. That’s it? A phone call confirmed that yes, he had them. Oh thank God!!!
Wait…..what the heck?!?! Why didn’t he call me and tell me? I’m going to strangle him. I love him but I must strangle!!!! The five or so minutes of ranting begins and then I remembered something I had done earlier this morning.-
I had put some cool containers of my neighbors into my cupboard thinking, “I bet she won’t mind if I borrow them a while.”
The next thing, the lamp on our desk, belongs to my friend, Sylvia. I’ve had it for almost a year. The juicer on the countertop- not mine.
Do you do this too? Do you reason why it’s o.k. to keep someone’s stuff? I don’t mind people having most of my stuff, but’s it’s funny how I reacted to something I “cherish” and was ready to strangle my nephew. Oh how the tables turn.
My conviction “spurred” on something I needed to do.
- Gather Up What Doesn’t Belong To Me. Don’t reason it away, it’s not mine.
- Return It The Way I Borrowed It. When returning something, it’s best to return it clean. I’m not talking about a quick dusting, but a thorough cleaning. If it’s a weedeater that you are returning, get all the grass off, take a flathead screwdriver and go around the edges. Wipe it off and put fresh line in so it’s ready for the next time they use it. If it’s broken, replace it or if you used it extensively you may need to replace parts or the whole thing altogether. I didn’t realize this until recently but apparently when someone makes a meal for you or your family, you are to return the dish with something in it. Of course, I’m sure this doesn’t apply if you just had a baby or are not feeling well.
- Say I’m Sorry. Even though it didn’t seem like a big deal to me, it may be to them. Just like it was no big deal to my nephew, it was a big deal to me. This doesn’t mean a big crying mess but saying sorry may be helpful if you’ve had something for quite some time.
- Remember To Love My Neighbor As Myself. I love my nephew…..just as I want others to love me. Show grace on those who have your stuff and remember for the next time, what it feels like to be both the lender and the borrower.
- If I Must Borrow—Return. My new saying should be “If I don’t return within 24, then I should borrow no more.”
Well, it’s time I go see my neighbors with their stuff in hand—
Would you’d like to see some examples of where to find it in the Bible, check out:
- The parable of the unmerciful servant. Matt. 18:21-35
- Love your neighbor as yourself. Matt. 22:39
Remember love God, love your family, and love your neighbor.
Please share with me something you have borrowed and how long you’ve had it? Would love to hear from you and please sign up for my newsletter on my homepage. Thanks
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