Don't Ignore Needed Elastic

Comfort wear often comes with elastic in certain places, especially at the waist. You’ll find it in comfort slacks, pajamas, sweat pants, and sports clothes in general.

Elastic is popular because it’s flexible. You can bend, stretch, and even gain weight without resistance. And if you lose weight, elastic will just return to its original size, no problem.

Did you know that elastic can be applied to temperament also? Thinking about the dictionary meaning in that way I come up with adjectives like buoyant, adaptable, resilient, and flexible. These qualities would definitely put elasticity into relationships.

Non-elastic people are rigid, harsh, stiff, and hard to be around. Sometimes it simply boils down to their self-centered attitudes.

Inflexible people totally disagree with Barbara Streisand’s “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” 

They prefer Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way;” however, their version is “I’ll Do It My Way,” and you can like it or not.

It’s not easy to live in harmony with people. We’re all different and sometimes those differences bring strong feelings. Relationships falter due to misunderstandings of all kinds.

Wise people insert elastic into these situations with forgiveness or forbearance. Do you know the difference?

Forgiveness means you’re willing to give up resentment against someone. You willfully release your right to exact a penalty for an offense.

Forbearance means you choose to keep yourself in check or tolerate something you know will happen. For example, a friend told me she was going to lunch with a friend who was late for everything. She said, “I know she’s that way, but I want her for a friend, so I choose to overlook her lateness.”

Elastic stretches in any direction. Matthew 6:12, The Lord’s Prayer is a great example. First, we stretch vertically . . . Father forgive me . . .  then we stretch horizontally, as I forgive those around me.

In your relationships, don’t ignore the need for elasticity. Misunderstandings might stretch it to the max, but forgiveness will bring it back to normal.