Dear brethren,
Karibu tena (Welcome Again) to share the cake with me!
'Seeking Peace and Holiness at all cost' is our subject today!
Hebrews 12:14 'Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification (holiness) without which no one will see the Lord.'
Holiness has been connected to peace in this portion of the scripture. There is a reason for this and a lesson to be learnt. When you are in grievance and anger with others you are the looser! You loose your patience and your territory or position in God. You are in fact distancing yourself from God. You destroy or spoil your heart and sin can easily creep in and take you down in a suprising manner! The Spirit of God through the Bible teaches us that he who thinks that he stands should watch lest he falls! When you seek peace with those who are angry with you and battling you out in their mischivious schemes without any reasonable cause, you are not the looser even if in the eyes of this flesh you seem to loose! You are infact gaining more favour before God and even those who are in enmity with you will come to recognise it though late on their part. So we should not let our living in harmony with God and others be overshadowed by anything, no! Not even our own personal interests should overshadow it!
Disharmony sometimes occurs even from those whom we count as brothers in the family of God (the church). We even might have helped some of them to be where they are today but, because they are not grateful and observing, they may turn against us and be a thorn to our relations trying to spoil, not only the brotherhood or brethren fellowship but also, our relationship with God. The fact is that the devil can use anybody who is not careful. Always a careless person falls into a trap easily! And, because of that, you will find that many families have broken apart and many friendships have been shattered! But what does the Spirit of God through the Bible teaches us to do in times when disharmony erupts? He says "SEEK PEACE AND BE HOLY". He says maintain the Bond and the Holiness with the Lord. He says rest your case not in men's hands but in God's hands. God knows how to guide wisely, handle things properly and judge righteously! So rest your case with Him and pursue peace will all.
In Genesis 13:5-9 we see how people who knew God reacted when they faced potential conflict, or a near breaking up of the treasured family love and brotherly harmony! Abraham was that man who knew the God who called him to 'come out' from the ways how people handle their matters, and he pursued the way of how a man of God should live and handle the affairs of this world. Here Abraham came into a trap of being brought into a quarell with Lot, his nephew, over pasture lands. Thes pasturelands were a treasure to both, and Abraham had the promise of God that the land was to be given to him! He could count himself more righteous than Lot. But he was wise in God. Instead of letting the family break up he was ready to seek peace at all cost, even if it meant endangering his own interests! And he indeed took the risks. He told Lot to make a choice of which direction he would like to go with his flock and then Abraham would choose to take a different one.
In principle, and customarily, Abraham being more older than Lot was the one supposed to make the first choice. But he sacrificed it for the sake of peace. He showed the willingess to take the risk. And, indeed, Lot made a haste choice to take the advantage and choose what seemed to be 'the best choice' according to his own eyes!(Gen.13:10-11).
Abraham's decision to risk for the sake of peace is an important lesson we must emulate in our lives as we walk with the Lord. He believed in peace with men to protect his relationship with God. He did not want to give the enemies a chance to devour the harmony he had maintained with Lot. He overcame evil with good. So what can we say? Their quarell was a family one. But how he wisely resolved it is what we should learn abd take into practise in our lives.
When you are faced with a similar situation in your house:
1. Take the initiative in resolving the conflict.
2.Let the other party make a first choice even if it will mean not getting what you want, i.e, even if your interests are sacrificed.
3.Put family peace above all personal interests or desires.
4. Rest your case in God's hands for better guidance.
Doing so will pay off to your side. You may be seen as a looser but you are the gainer! You may be seen as a fool but you are the wisest man/woman before God. And, God will immediately 'appear to you' for guidance (Gen.13:14). You can see here: After Lot had gone the Lord God appeared to Abram and he was given a big land than he could dermacate by his own eyes! He was told to look to as far as he could see- North, South, East and West! God knows the path you treads! Rest your case in his hands!
Stay blessed!
Nangela.
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