Difficult People “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). Difficult people! Who hasn’t dealt with one at some point in life? It may have been a boss, a coworker, a fellow church member, or even someone within our family. The problem with such people is that they are— well—difficult. They can make our lives miserable. When such people come into our lives, we must choose how to react. Our response can either escalate the problem or lead to a more peaceful relationship. Dealing in a calm manner without lashing…
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9) Regret! We’ve all experienced it. Sometimes it’s for things we’ve done. At other times, it’s for things we haven’t done but should have. Questions of “what if” plague our thoughts. And of course, our adversary, Satan, delights in reminding us of these past mistakes and failures. Whatever the cause, when we don’t deal with our past, we rob the present of joy. We can find many examples of those who regretted their actions, but let’s look at three men and how each responded. Peter, the Denier In those final hours before Jesus’ arrest, quick-spoken Peter declared to the Lord that he was “ready to go with You, both to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33, NKJV). Brave words, and I believe he meant them with all his heart when he spoke them. Yet before morning, fear caused Peter to deny the Lord three times—just as Jesus had foreseen. Remorse overwhelmed him. Tears could not wash away the memory of his act. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the…
“So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king’s table. And he was lame in both his feet.” (II Samuel 9:13, NKJV) This is the story of an unlikely friendship, a promise made, a promise kept, and unexpected kindness. You can read the entire story in I and II Samuel, but this is a short version of what happened between the king of Israel, his son, grandson, and a shepherd boy. Jonathan and David This is the backstory of the unlikely friendship between Jonathan, King Saul’s son, and David, a shepherd. As the oldest son, Jonathan was the presumed heir to the throne of Israel. However, God instructed the prophet Samuel to anoint David as the next king. King Saul hated David and tried many times to kill him. Jonathan, however, felt no jealousy. The two were more like brothers and had formed a strong bond. In I Samuel 20 David pledged to keep a covenant of kindness toward Jonathan’s family forever. This was a promise David never forgot. Mephibosheth is hidden The life of Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, was forever marked by the events of a single day. As a five-year-old child, he may not have understood…
“I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” (Romans 15:14, ESV) When we talk about investments, we often mean money. But one of the best investments we can ever make is the time we spend investing in the lives of others. Schools and corporations have both discovered that personal involvement and teaching help students or employees develop their full potential. A mentor is an ordinary person who is willing to share her time and experience to help another grow. Although the word is…
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8, ESV) Have you ever struggled in making a decision? At one time or another, everyone faces a “do I or don’t I” situation. Just this week I needed to decide about a certain matter. It was nothing major, or at least I don’t believe so, but I still wanted to be sure I was making the right choice. I learned long ago that seemingly insignificant things may have a much greater impact than we expect. Let me tell you about three people and the impact of the decisions they made. We can learn some valuable lessons from them. For Eve, the decision to eat the forbidden didn’t seem that significant. The smooth-talking voice of the serpent assured her that all would be well. But she was listening to the wrong voice, and it contradicted what God had said. Her decision, and her husband joining in that bad decision, led to their downfall and removal from Eden. We all suffer from the effects of their sinful choice today. King David decided to stay home instead of going…
“And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.” (Mark 6:46, ESV) I was visiting an older friend recently when she explained that she didn’t know what to do. She could no longer get on her knees to pray, and this really bothered her. I reassured her as best I could and offered her encouragement on ways to adapt to praying in a chair. I am sure she knows as well as I do that God hears our prayers whether we are kneeling, sitting, standing, or walking. But this had been her way of praying for many years, so it felt wrong to her to not pray on her knees. As we read the Gospels, it becomes very evident that Jesus spent long periods of time alone in prayer. Early morning or late in the evening, we find Him slipping away to a quiet place to pray. Luke 5:16 tells us, “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” Jesus removed Himself from the press of the crowds, and even His disciples, to strengthen Himself and intercede through prayer. Time alone with God is such a personal thing. In yesterday’s devotion we talked about making time for Him…