ULTIMATE PEACE

God was pleased to…[make] peace through [Jesus’] blood, shed on the cross.

– Colossians 1:19

“Why can’t people just get along with each other?” We’ve heard this sad lament, and many of us have uttered it.

The brokenness strewn everywhere around is so weighty. Marriages unravel. Homes disintegrate. Children run away. Negotiations break down. Churches split.  Employees walk out or get booted out. Courts clog. Mediation specialists try to untie the tangled knots we tie. Wars and terrorism are painful reminders that conflict seems never to cease.

But God has determined that wars of every kind will cease – “to the ends of the earth” (Psalm 46:9). And God has been “pleased” to do that, says Paul. Operation Reconciliation is under way, every, even today. And someday perfect friendship will reign every where. The sound and rumors of war will cease forever.

How? By bringing one antagonist after another to the foot of the cross. It’s hard to hate, looking up at such love. It’s hard to hold a grudge, surrounded by such forgiveness. It’s hard to demand that others be punished, watching Jesus’ blood flow for our own punishment. We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).

In our Lord’s love for all of us lies the hope that surely love, not hate, and peace, not war will have the last word…..forever.

HANGING ON TO HOPE

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. – Proverbs 23:18

Maybe you wonder sometimes, “What’s the use? Why try? What difference does my obedience make?

It’s important that we consider our proverb for today along with the one that comes just before it: “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 23:17).

Doesn’t it often seem that people who live without God in the world live best? And why is it that many who have no conscience sleep better at night?

Even if that seems true in the present, God’s Word assures us that the only sure of blessing in the future is with God.  And that means not just tomorrow or next week or next year, but forever. Our reading from Proverbs today reminds us that running after pleasures today will ruin us, but with God we have the future, no one but GOD can guarantee it.  To have a future hope is a gift to the wise, those who revere, love and serve God.

Our hope is that we live for God and with God forever, through Christ, our Lord. As the writer to the Hebrews put it, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised it is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23). Hope in God for the future is the only thing that can make the present secure.   

YES, YOUR HONOR

It is quick to a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. – Proverbs 20:3

It’s easy to quarrel, isn’t it? Someone says something to you or about you that you find intolerable, and a quarrel ensues. Someone says something and you take it the wrong way, and soon the two of you may be quarreling.

A “fool is quick to quarrel.” The emphasis here is on the word “quick.” A fool is a person whose first impulse is to quarrel. It is a fool whose fists clinch before his or her heart opens wider.

And what is a “fool”? The answer has nothing to do with intelligence. It has to do with faith. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). But such a fool may not be a blatant atheist. Such a fool simply acts as if God doesn’t matter to him or her. The fool reasons that if God doesn’t get involved with us, we must take care of ourselves. Such a person is “quick to quarrel” because he or she sees no one else to lean on or depend on for support.

But it is your “honor to avoid strife.” Yes, it’s “your honor.” The truly honorable thing to do is to make peace, to offer forgiveness, to repay evil with good. The truly honorable thing to do is make peace, to offer forgiveness, to repay evil with good. The truly honorable thing is “to avoid strife” and so treat others as God, in Christ, has treated you. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10).  

YOU CAN’T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

– Proverbs 12:18

     Words can cause horrible pain. Bruises and even gashes can heal with time, but time alone cannot remove the hurts that words inflict.

     Our proverb for today is to point out not the agony caused by “reckless words” but the healing the same tongue can provide when it is empowered with helpful words. Such a tongue is not just nice or positive or kind. It’s the “tongue of the wise.” This tongue is empowered with love of God and motivated by faith in God.

     Just think what a force for good a sincere compliment can be. Not only can it boost a person’s morale but also can give the incentive to go on doing well.  A word of apology can ease excruciating pain. A word of encouragement can build up a person broken down by verbal abuse or neglect.  A word of concern can heal the suffering of loneliness.

     We must use our tongues as a force for good. In the New Testament, James writes, “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing….This should not be (James 3:10). In God’s power we can use our tongues for praise and blessing.  

Instead of Revenge

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…

- Matthew 5:44

Jesus’ command here is an extremely difficult one. It goes against our natural grain. In the heat of conflict, when feelings of resentment are running hot, we want to hit and spit at our enemies, not kneel and beg God to show them mercy. Sometimes we secretly want to see them “rot in hell.”

But if we allow ourselves to become vindictive, we’re letting a flood of hatred into our hearts. Floods cause immense damage. By being vindictive, we’re actually letting people hurt us all over again (even though vindictiveness feels so delicious), and when we’re infecting our insides with the poison of bitterness. As one person so wisely put it, “When you carry a grudge, it’s you who are doing the heavy lifting.”

Retaliation spawns more retaliation. If we all live by an eye for an eye, pretty soon the whole world will be blind.

It is not enough to drain ourselves of the demon of vindictiveness. It will soon seep right back in, like water in a deep hole below the water line. The only safe dike against the flood of contempt for our enemies is, in imitation of Jesus, praying for God’s mercy and goodness to fill us – as well as our enemies.

The Glory to Come

 
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. - Romans 8:18

Many of Paul's friends suffer because they were Christians. Some lost their jobs; others were beaten, many were killed. In light of the dangers involved, some were questioning whether Christianity was worth it. At least it would be easier to be silent Christians, outwardly following the crowd to avoid persecutions. Paul assured them everything they were going through was worth it, as they would see when they were with Christ in heaven. He promised that their present sufferings would be more than compensated by the rewards that awaited them in heaven.

In light of an eternity in heaven, this life is only a blip on the screen, if only we could fully understand how magnificent heaven will be. No tears. No pain. No suffering. When we reach our eternal home, we will realize that everything the Bible said was true. Everything God promised will be ours. Then we will know that living the Christian life was well worth the effort.

If you are going through a difficult time right now, keep in mind that this life is only temporary. Nothing you might be suffering now can compare to the reward you will receive for having patiently endured. One day, you will enjoy eternity with God, and eternity will be more wonderful than anything you could imagine. Don't become disheartened by problems you face right now. God has things for you to learn and to do for Him. Remain faithful to him, and your reward in heaven will be beyond comparison.

ABBA, Father

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. - Romans 8:15-16

Our personality is partly the result of the way we were parented. Of course other factors are involved, but parents have a bigger influence on their children than some would like to admit. Children from abusive homes usually suffer from severe insecurity. They may struggle with anger just like their parents and repeat the cycle when they have children. On the other hand, parents who are kind and loving tend to pass these traits to their children.

When we become a Christian, we are adopted by a perfect Parent. Our heavenly Father loves us perfectly. He has no regrets for what He says to us; He never wishes He could have done more for us. We have nothing to fear because He watches over us, and He is more powerful than any problem we will ever face. We will not live in want because our Father's resources are unlimited.

As God's child, our life ought to reflect God's character. The more time we spend with our Father, the more our life will reflect our new heritage. As God's child, we should become more and more like Him, loving, patient and forgiving. As we grow in our faith, our Heavenly Father's influence should have increasingly more impact on how we live that our earthly parents' model does.

Don't use imperfect parents as an excuse for not living to God's standards. We have a perfect Parent who will teach us how to be loving, patient and forgiving, just like Him - our Abba, Father.