Grace and Peace

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” LUKE 6:27-28 (NIV)

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ROMANS 12:14 (NIV)

When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. 1 CORINTHIANS 4:12b-13a (NIV)

I marveled at the scene. Standing behind a person in the Customer Service line at the grocery store who was “pitching a fit” to get their way, it seemed to me that the store employees were being so very gracious. Even though it eventually took calling another employee and the store manager to take care of the customer’s needs, the store employees continually apologized and stressed their desire that the customer’s desires be satisfied.

I came away with several thoughts:

• Was the tactic being used by the customer really necessary? Would a more courteous, soft-spoken approach have yielded the same results? I know the saying about the “squeaky wheel getting the grease” – an idiom which suggests (according to UsingEnglish.com) “that the person who complains or protests the loudest attracts attention and service.” But is this God’s way – is this to be my way as His child?

PROVERBS 15:1-5 (NIV) says:
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

JAMES 3:5-18 (NIV) says:
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

Lord, please help me to learn this lesson, to heed correction and show good judgment through a life lived displaying the humility inherent in wisdom
from above. Purify my heart, so that the words issuing from my tongue will
be edifying to others and glorifying to You.

• Is this the way I appear in the spirit to God when I rebel against His way and try to get my own way? Is this reflecting my trust in His wisdom, my honoring of His lordship, my affirmation of His sovereignty, my acknowledgement of His power when I act this way?

LUKE 22:42 (NKJV)
... “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

JOHN 12:23-28 (NIV)
Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!"

Lord, please help me to die to myself, my agenda, my hopes and fears, and to live only for You. Lead me, Dear Lord, by Your Spirit, that I may truly
follow Christ. Father, glorify Your Name!

• When I act this way in any degree (even in a passive-aggressive fashion) to manipulate someone, attempting to exert control to get what I want, is this pleasing to God or advancing the cause of His kingdom? Is this maturing me in Christ? How does this affect my witness for Christ?

1 PETER 2 (New King James Version) [bolded text emphasis mine]
Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“ Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

“ The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,”

and

“ A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.”

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

“ Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Lord, thank You for the example Christ left, that we – that I might follow in His steps. Strengthen my faith, such that when I am reviled, I do not revile in return; that when I suffer, I do not threaten but commit myself wholly to
You. Let my life, my obedience, my sacrifice be commendable before You, O God,
in Your mercy. Lord, I have been forgiven so much, and such a great and precious
price has been paid that I could receive this forgiveness. Please Lord,
continually fill me with Your Spirit such that I will love much and forgive
much, honoring all, such that You are magnified and glorified, high and lifted
up through my existence, and Your plans and purposes for my life are fulfilled.

The situation at the store ended peacefully. Appreciation for the fruit of the spirit displayed through the attitudes of the store employees filled my heart with awe at all of the ways God’s peace was revealed. Lately, I seem to repeatedly be getting the message to look for and see God in everything. The peace shown through this exchange just increased my wonder at the majesty of Who God is, and what He desires for us in this life. How I love Him, and how grateful I am that He loves me!!!

ROMANS 16:20 (NIV)
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

REVELATION 1:4b-6 (NKJV)
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

... and my journey with Him continues ...