Daily Word: Bring Peace

Proverbs 30:32-33 teaches us: If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth. For as the churning of milk produces butter, And wringing the nose produces blood, So the forcing of wrath produces strife. (NKJV) The JPS Study Bible comments: "If you are arrogant or scheming, at least keep your mouth shut. Just as squeezing or churning milk or a nose produces butter or blood, so does squeezing someone's patience produce conflict." There are simple and important lessons taught in these two verses. First, if you are tempted to plan a scheme, keep your mouth quiet. Also, if you are tempted to be prideful, keep your mouth quiet. Second, if you know someone is having a bad day, don't add pressure to their patience. Find a way to bring peace and healing to the one struggling. Don't look for a way to antagonize them; look for a way to bring shalom, i.e. nothing broken nothing missing.

Sometimes, this can be very difficult. Have you ever known someone that likes to stir up trouble? They live their lives going from one conflict to another. They must have some type of drama in their lives or they are not happy. People that live like this attempt to drag you down into the mire of their lives. We need to remember this verse and not force wrath upon them, but instead, to help them to discover the peace of God that is available to all. We need to be teachers of the word. This goes far beyond just telling them to keep their mouths quiet. It involves living a peaceful life before them so they can see what God has done for you. We teach by living the truth.

Today, if you find someone in difficulty, bring peace to them. Bring the truth of God's word into their lives. Start with action and end in speech. When you do, you will be allowing them to read your Bible.