Lose-Lose vs. Win-Win

         [Yesterday was Pam's birthday, my sister. She was a main character in this dream.]

         We were together shopping and had bought some food, I think. I went first and my change came out into this metal scoop like thing. As I was ready to retrieve my change, which was a lot, she bought whatever it was and only a couple of coins were returned to her. Her change lay to the left of mine. However, she collected all the change including mine. I remember saying, "Hey, that was my change," but she pretended nothing untoward happened and, in fact, ignored me.

         Being disgruntled, I shunned her and spoke to another sister about the incident. We then both shunned Pam. I actually thought this might get her attention.

         Then I considered turning the other cheek and asked the Lord, How do you go about turning the other cheek in this instance? If I allow her to do this to me again, I will feel worse and she will continue stealing.

         It was then that the Lord showed me a picture of what turning the other cheek would look like.

         Turning the other cheek would be allowing such an event to take place and then pulling out my wallet and asking if she needed money. This action would likely cause her to look at her behavior and repent; plus it would create opportunity for me to sow into her life and meet an apparent need: sort of a double blessing.

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         My prayer is: God help me turn to you and ask how to respond when such things take place so as to take the best action possible according to Your Word and Will, helping not only myself (my own frame of mind) but helping my fellows as well---turning a lose-lose into a win-win.