People are to be judged by their actions. We sometimes hear it said, “His conduct is bad but at heart he means well”; but this is nonsense. In the old-fashioned phrase, “handsome is as handsome does.”
The bad-tempered person cannot possibly have a “heart of gold” as is sometimes charitably said. A bad-tempered person has a mean, selfish heart and should get busy and change it without delay.
One who loves does not seek his own advantage. Love acts the part, and anything else is hypocrisy.
…be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32).
This not only applies to the mean-hearted person, who seeks their own advantage, but also to those who lash out in anger, judgement or condemnation when wronged, hurt or mistreated. Those negative reactions have the same effect on the soul, spirit and mind whether we feel justified in them or when we are just being hateful.
The real challenge for the Christian, for everyone, is to return love for hate, justice for mistreatment and tolerance for judgement. Now this is not an easy truth to face or to live out in reality. but it is the inconvenient truth none the less. In fact, we are incapable of living to this standard without giving God control over our lives. Even though we may not act them out, these feelings will still rob us of our peace because of human nature. The only way to overcome that nature is to let go of it and give God the reins. Then we can rise above our nature, lifted by the the almighty loving power of God’s Holy Spirit within us.
When we empty out the self, we clear the way for God to act through us. Then God will shine the light of joy, peace and gladness which blinds us to our human hurt, fear and anger. Then we will “Be made to walk in green pastures, then we will lie down beside the still waters, and then God will restore our souls.”
Seeking the pasture,
Z gardener
Good Morning Garden 
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