Keeping the peace

Tyndale House, "Life Lessons from Bible People"
* jgat

KEEPING THE PEACE

"[Isaac] moved on from there and dug another well, and no one
quarreled over it." (Genesis 26:22)

Isaac was generally a quiet man who kept to himself. But he
was capable of resolute action when it was needed. His jealous
neighbors, the Philistines, once crafted a malicious plot against
him. In an area where water was as precious as gold, Isaac's hostile
neighbors plugged up his wells two separate times and threatened to
drive him away. Even though plugging another landowner's well was a
serious crime, Isaac refused to let the incident provoke him to rash
action. Instead, he and his men simply dug another well. Finally,
there was enough room for everyone, and the dispute settled down.
Isaac's willingness to compromise for the sake of peace headed off a
bloody showdown.

Would you be willing to forsake an important position or
valuable possession to keep the peace? In some situations, you may
heave a good reason to be angry. But are your rights the only issue
at stake? You may face conflict with your friends, family, or
coworkers this week. Ask God for the wisdom to know when to withdraw
and when to stand your ground.

Keeping the peace sometimes means forfeiting your right to be angry.

* DEAR LORD, cleanse our hearts of any selfishness because where
self-seeking exist, confusion and greed abide. It can hurt many --
our friends, our family, our community. Remind us that more than
protecting our "rights" is doing the "right thing." Please soften
our hearts without breaking our spirit as we struggle keeping the
peace. Lord, grant us the peace that You alone can give.

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From: JoeGatuslao@smartwifi.com.ph