STRIFE
STRIFE, “WORTH CONSIDERING” 7/15/19, (Across my desk this morning, exceptional.)
Today’s Scripture
Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.”
(Proverbs 17:14, NIV)
Stay Above Strife
Too often, people fall into the trap of strife. Someone says something that rubs you the wrong way, and before you know it, there is tension, quarreling and division. The Scripture tells us that strife opens the door to “every evil work.” It’s the enemy’s greatest trap to keep people from living in victory. But you don’t have to fall into the trap of strife, you can rise above it. Today’s verse says that you can simply drop the matter before it turns into something bigger than it needs to be. You don’t have to sink down to somebody’s level and argue with them and try to prove that you’re right. You weren’t put on this earth to correct everybody around you.
If you are going to be all that God’s called you to be, you have to learn to stay above strife. Instead of letting disagreements pull your relationships apart, look for common ground to draw you closer to the people in your life. Look for peace. Look for ways to be a blessing. Stay above strife so you can enjoy your relationships and experience the blessing He has for you!
A Prayer for Today
“Heavenly Father, I choose to stay above strife. I choose to honor You by seeking peace in my relationships. Empower me to walk in love and be an example of Your light everywhere I go in Jesus’ name. Amen.”
My Thoughts:
When I read the above I immediately remembered the verse in Prov.16:7, When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. And what Christ Jesus taught in Matt.18:15, If your brother wrongs you, go and show him his fault, between you and him privately. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. But it does not stop there…. The whole teaching of the Lord concerns maintaining the Unity of the Faith, in the Bond of Peace.
Obviously, gaining unity will depend upon many factors including our primary viewpoint of why we are here, where did we come from and where are we going. If we are secured in that larger dimension of eternity then much in this world will seem rather unimportant except for what facilitates eternal life with our loving Creator. Our life time on earth is but a speck in relationship to eternity and eternal values. But for us, if this time experience is only of our earthly vision then we are going to be self centered, egocentric and selfish. Our little ego will not allow us to be wrong, even when we know that we are wrong.
So the way up, is the way down as concerns peace and begins with humility (having ears) as a little child and with obedience. Even Christ Jesus learned obedience through the things that HE suffered and was made perfect in that way. Heb.5:8-9. So much of the strife that we experience can be totally avoided if we maintain the loving long view that we are created as eternal souls and a hundred years from now, none of this will matter at all. Our main energy flow will then go towards becoming ready to experience GOD’s light speed and our Creator’s plans for us in eternity. We will then see our earthly experience as only a life time opportunity to find and experience being with our Creator for eternity, Rev. 21 Or we can use up our short existence in time to build our own little temporal castle and be excluded from the light of God’s plans for those who love and obey HIM. The Holy Scriptures are very clear. Either we submit it GOD’s authority to rule over us and live in light for eternity or we spend our eternity in the blackness of darkness alone for eternity, Jude 13. Hope you choose wisely. Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<><
(Past editions of “Worth Considering” may be found on a home page link to
www.Trinity-Aloha.org) There is but one church of Christ Jesus and all who love and obey HIM are members.
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