Good Morning My Friends! Today I bring to you the good news of peace! If we can live at peace with one another just for today, oh how our lives and our world would be transformed. What joy we would experience.
Let Peace Be Within Us!
There are a couple of things that come to my mind today as I consider today’s instruction for intentional living:
- Protesting publicly in groups
- Protesting between people we have relationships with
- Living at peace with others
When we protest, we are objecting to something. Often we think of protests as an organized assembly of people who are publicly objecting to some idea or course of action.
But did you know when you quarrel with someone, you are protesting? You are.
The Bible is filled with Scripture regarding quarreling. God doesn’t like it when we fight and protest with one another. There are always consequences for each person in a dispute.
Don’t misunderstand me. We can disagree with another. It’s how we disagree with them that matters.
Protesting or quarreling is not how God wants us to intentionally relate with others.
Do you know what causes you to quarrel?
Your own passions at war within you. (James 4:1) So you are internally at war. You are unrestful within your own heart and mind. When we don’t seek God to help us handle our own unrest (which is lack of peace), we put ourselves into a place of temptation where we can cause strife with others.
And that’s when we set ourselves up to quarrel with others.
Look what happens when we quarrel:
“He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions” (1 Timothy 6:4, ESV).
“Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers” (2 Timothy 2:14, ESV).
Quarreling with another causes pain, rebellion, evil ideas, character assassination, which actually damages and injures the other person.
Here’s what we look like when we quarrel:
“Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears” (Proverbs 26:17, ESV).
“As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife” (Proverbs, 26:21, ESV).
“A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike” (Proverbs 27:15, ESV).
Ouch! I know I would never actually throw a hot coal onto someone or grab a dog by its ears. I sure don’t want to be known as a dripping drop of constant rain to someone either.
My title could have been “Refrain from Quarreling, Embrace Peace,” but I want you to understand quarreling between people can and does lead to quarreling in groups. We absolutely can protest in very unhealthy ways. God doesn’t want us to do that.
Rather, He wants us to live at peace with one another.
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18, NIV).
Living at peace means we are calm, at rest. We have stillness within us, and we seek harmony.
Practical Application
How are we to live at peace intentionally?
Here are just a couple of things we need to stop doing:
Stop fighting about the law!
“Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:9, ESV).
Stop fighting over opinions!
“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions” (Romans 14:1, ESV).
Stop fighting over words!
“Not to quarrel about words” (2 Timothy 2:14, ESV).
Here are some things we need to start doing:
Start being gentle with others!
Show courtesy to others!
“To speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 3:2, ESV).
Build others up!
“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Romans 14:19, ESV).
Help others with encouraging words!
“So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault” (Romans 14:19, The Message).
Peace starts with you! Peace starts with me!
Today, let’s not fight or protest with anyone, but use our energy to live at peace.
Just for Today
Refrain from Protesting. Embrace Peace!
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