Matthew 5: 25"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny
Adversaries
Having adversaries is not fun. It will happen. In life, there will be people at times that just don’t want you to succeed. There are others that just don’t understand your motivation. They are friends waiting on understanding you. In the interim, they are antagonists. Hopefully, you did not create them needlessly. Our actions and words can stir up people against us.
Peacemakers
When an adversary comes up against us, it is wise and important to settle matters quickly. Don’t fight for rights. Go for peacemaking. Follow the best peacemaker ever, Jesus. He made peace with God for us.
Problematic
The air in the office could be cut with a bowie knife. The acrid atmosphere was tense and thick. No one was there but Jim. His struggle broke across his brow with a furrow so deep his team stayed in the hall. You could smell the pain. You could feel the strain.
Jim reached for his bible. This tome was his guide for hard moments. They come. They go. We have to live through them. A glance in Psalm 37 settled him. “Stay in the land.” He made his decision. These issues needed to be worked through to a settled state.
ACT! Who is an adversary? Who is fighting against you at home, at work, at school, in the community? What is the reason? Can it be settled? Take action.
PRAY! Father, my heart is to follow you. Where can I settle one more grief? Father, is there someone holding against me some item? Can I do something to help it settle in their heart. Teach me. Instruct me in Your ways of peace. Teach me to avoid the conflict and resolve toward peace whenever it arises.
Phil Larson, 508 Tumbleweed Dr., Yukon, Oklahoma 73099 405-388-8037
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