Last December I was really hurt by some people who I trusted, the events that led to that hurt were filled with turmoil and strife. I look at life the last week or so and I see some of the same things. It really bothers me, that is not a lesson I want to repeat, so how do you deal with angry people?
A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up strife.
Romans 12:18 says ' If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.'
We’ve heard the saying 'put your best foot forward', and yet each one of us does our best in the best way we know how, right?
But here Paul is telling us that we must go beyond our best, we must take that extra step to reach a place where we can truly say “I’ve given it my best.”
For me, it’s hard to do live at peace 'as far as it depends on' me, because depending on the severity of an issue I won’t take that extra step. I will do the norm and say okay I did my best. But Paul is saying it is not enough for to just do the norm. I must stretch myself to the limit and once I’ve done that, then I can say I’ve done my best.
Sometimes our best is when we don’t have to put much effort into a thing. Our best becomes if someone rubs us the wrong way then they can forget about us taking that extra step, because we don’t think they deserve it after the way they acted with us.
(Praise God for going the extra step for me! In His great mercy and grace he delivered me, and forgave me EVERYTHING!)
It’s hard to live at peace with people, but Jesus can help me to live at peace with all men(and women!), if I allow the Holy Spirit to change my mind, I will see that when I do try to do my best, it far exceeds what I thought I could do! And it is a blessing to me!
Jesus knows that there are some people who will not allow me to live at peace with them, but that is in His hands - I am His child, His responsibility, He can handle it!
Goodnight,
Amanda
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