Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2)
I was out on an errand and encountered a man who walked in front of my car while it was in motion. I honked my horn and threw my hands up in frustration. This ancient child of God stopped walking, stood in front of my car and angrily reminded me that even in the middle of a busy mall parking lot he had the right of way.
I reminded him that he was standing in front of 2,000 pounds of power and should watch where he was going. To wit, he used his favorite racial epithet — along with referring to me as a fat female dog. I am not fat. I lost my humble forbearance and failed the lesson of today’s scripture.
Even though I failed in showing forbearance, I still live as a loved child of the King. Even in these heated days of social unrest, we must be tireless in our forbearance of one another. When a hail of words cuts deeper than rounds of bullets, I must remember to be patient and gentle in my daily journey.
I confess my sin and stand forgiven with a clean slate to continue my journey as placidly as possible in this world. Each day brings a new opportunity to testify to the depth of God’s love for me. I pray daily for God to enhance my ability to forbear the ignorant words of haters and to let God live in my actions of peace, love and humility.
This is how I fight my battles — in gentle and humble forbearance.
Serving as one of four Co-Pastors for Casa de Cristo Church and Apostolic Center in Phoenix, Ariz., an inner-city ministry that is Spirit-led and Bible-fed, Pastor Charlotte Strayhorne is a graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has been in active ministry for more than 35 years.
Known in the LGBTQ community for her activism and leadership for equality and justice for all, she is a recipient of the City of Phoenix’s Martin Luther King Living the Dream Award. Her love for the theatre earned her an ariZoni for Best Supporting Actress as Calpurnia in the Hale Center production of “To Kill A Mockingbird”.
With deep family roots in Cincinnati, she is an ardent fan of her Cincinnati home teams but her heart bleeds purple for the WNBA Phoenix Mercury. With travel destinations from Indiana to Italy, she has been consistent in sharing her exciting message of love for God.