Proverbs 17:1-28

Strife seems to be a constant companion in most relationships today.  We see strife in our homes, schools, churches, places of works and our neighborhoods.  People just seem to have a hard time getting along with one another.  A simple explanation for this reality is that men are, by nature, sinful so selfishness comes very naturally to all of us.  When we are focused on ourselves we will do most anything to promote our own agenda and usually end up hurting the people around us in the process.  The ironic thing is that selfishness almost always leads us into misery instead of satisfaction or joy.  In order to avoid strife in our relationships and promote an abiding sense of joy we must learn to values these two qualities.

RESPECT: No amount of wealth can replace a peaceful home.  When we learn to respect the people around us, no matter if we are a servant or a son, we will be given respect as well as privileges that come along with that position.  We must remember that God sees all of our actions and act accordingly.  Lies and gossip have no place in the lives of those who respect and honor others.  We cannot mock those who are less fortunate or we will end up suffering even worse misfortune.  God wants us to have a great respect for all men especially those who are older than we are.  Bribes and gossip are used to destroy other people but God desires for us to build one another up in love.  We are to be teachable and ready to learn from the people around us.  Love and respect are keys to having healthy relationships and finding true joy in our lives.  Strife will only bring misery to us and all who are around us.


RESTRAINT: There are times when we must exercise restraint in our relationships.  We cannot simply follow our hearts or do what comes naturally to us.  When our loved ones face adversity we may want to protect ourselves and run away, but we must restrain that urge and serve those who are suffering.  Righteous judgments are a means of restraining evil in ourselves as well as the world surrounding us.  Our joy must not be dependent upon our circumstances, but we should learn to restrain our emotional reactions to our situations and allow God’s love to always be evident in our lives.  God is pleased when we reward that which is good and punish what is evil as this righteous judgment is used of Him to restrain the impact of sin on this world.  Wisdom will learn to discern what to say and when to say it so that our words will be encouraging and a blessing to all who hear them.  Discernment takes time so we must learn to keep quiet and restrain ourselves from saying the first thing that comes into our mouths.  Restraint with our words will always help establish health relationships.

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