Love you all, praying for you.
Forever amazed at the timeless and practical wisdom of Proverbs. "Let the wise listen and add to their learning… Good advice. Praying that PRISM every day is adding to your wisdom, and that PiVAT is helping you hear God show you how to apply it. Proverbs 15:18 - A hot tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. The Word of God is always deeper than first glance. There is truth that goes beneath the surface. One would think this verse is about mediating between others, but it’s more than that. This is not just truth about others, but truth that applies to you. No one thinks of themselves as hot tempered, I’m just passionate. It’s funny how we phrase things sometimes. But how quickly are you irritated? How soon can someone or something get under your skin. If your temper is un-submitted, dissension always surrounds you. And before you calm quarrels in others – how effective are you at calming quarrels in you? What quarrel are you in right now? Why? What quarrel is a present opportunity? Proverbs 22:3 - … every fool is quick to quarrel. So if I quarrel a lot… Praise God, what we do isn’t who we are, if we recognize the shortfall, repent and turn, and let God’s grace enable the change. If you are in a quarrel, you lack patience. A patient man calms a quarrel. The first quarrel he calms is in himself – before it even begins. A patient man doesn’t quarrel. He’s patient. He listens, He seeks to understand before being understood. He listens to clarify, not to form a reply. He builds bridges not arguments. Patience – the fruit of the Spirit prevents disagreement from being a quarrel. Just because you disagree doesn’t mean it has to be a quarrel. Before you can calm quarrels in others, you must learn to calm quarrels in yourself. Most of the quarrels I run across - I’m in. So calming them in me before they begin– could eliminate a good percentage of them. And be careful when trying to help others, let God lead you. Every quarrel is not yours to calm, not all of them are your jurisdiction. Proverbs 26:17 - Like one who grabs a dog by the ears is a passerby who meddles in a quarrel not his own. Be sure if God is leading you to calm it, you don’t end up joining it. Of all the quarrels you could participate in – probably 70% are with your spouse, another 20% with immediate family members, and the last 10% with those around you. What if you just decided to calm the quarrels with your spouse and family? What if you just declined to participate. What if after listening and clarifying, you asked this question… Could we just agree to disagree? Wow, that might bring agreement, but that’s such an odd question. Maybe we could agree on the principle or the desired end result – but recognize two different ways of viewing it. Sure we could agree to disagree, but why would we want to do that? There’s power in agreement! Mathew 18:19 – Again I tell you, that if two of you agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. Praying that you will stand on principles, but defer on preferences. And when situations are viewed differently – that you would let God bring unity. Agreeing Prayer in any potential quarrel - would dissolve it instantly. Humility, consensus on the authority of His Word, and agreeing prayer – will bring agreement every time. So how does a wise person, a patient person, a fruit of the Spirit person calm quarrels? They start with their own. #1 Listen – Seek to understand before being understood. #2 Clarify, don’t form a reply #3 Overlook an offense (it adds to your honor) #4 See them as God does – with kindness and compassion, for their value to their owner – not their present behavior toward you… what God can help them become, not just what they are right now. #6 If it’s your spouse or family, Ask God what to ask for in agreement – in agreeing prayer. And #7 Forgive – choose to not hold it against them – (just like your Father has forgiven you). Praying for you - that you will daily seek God’s wisdom that gives you patience… and that patience will have it’s perfect work – so that you will calm quarrels beginning with yours, that you would pray in agreement, so that you will be complete – lacking nothing. Love you all, dad
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