"If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18
Sitting on the couch last night, a very interesting question was posed to me by my seventeen-year-old daughter. She was finishing a school project and asked me the following question: "Dad, what would be your perfect world?"
Without hesitating, I immediately said, "Heaven.”
She smiled and said, "No, here on earth. What would be the perfect world for you?"
I quickly said, "A world without war."
She smiled again and said, "No, Dad. Understand that sin still exists in man and that you can't control the sin or the lives of others. Now, what would be your perfect world?"
The question posed by my daughter last night has been needling me ever since because the question is profound. Deeply profound. Knowing we can't simply control sin in the lives of others, and that others will have radically different visions of what the world should look like, how does that affect our choices and how we live our lives? What does my perfect world look like? What does yours?
Romans 12:18 cuts right to the heart of this question. "If it is possible, as much as depends on YOU, live peaceably with all men." The Apostle Paul is saying we have a choice. We can choose love, peace, and patience, or we can choose bitterness, gossip, and retaliation. For me, the best nights of sleep I've ever had are after a day of practicing love, peace, and patience.
Sitting on the couch last night, a very interesting question was posed to me by my seventeen-year-old daughter. She was finishing a school project and asked me the following question: "Dad, what would be your perfect world?"
Without hesitating, I immediately said, "Heaven.”
She smiled and said, "No, here on earth. What would be the perfect world for you?"
I quickly said, "A world without war."
She smiled again and said, "No, Dad. Understand that sin still exists in man and that you can't control the sin or the lives of others. Now, what would be your perfect world?"
The question posed by my daughter last night has been needling me ever since because the question is profound. Deeply profound. Knowing we can't simply control sin in the lives of others, and that others will have radically different visions of what the world should look like, how does that affect our choices and how we live our lives? What does my perfect world look like? What does yours?
Romans 12:18 cuts right to the heart of this question. "If it is possible, as much as depends on YOU, live peaceably with all men." The Apostle Paul is saying we have a choice. We can choose love, peace, and patience, or we can choose bitterness, gossip, and retaliation. For me, the best nights of sleep I've ever had are after a day of practicing love, peace, and patience.
Want a peaceful life? Then, give it a try.
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PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the strength to live each day following your wonderful peace plan for my life. Let me be a blessing to my friends, family, neighbors, and yes, even those who have animosity towards me. Help me love others so that I might truly experience the blessing of seeing the fear in others that are all around me turn into love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Written by Jim Penner
(Hour of Power)
Heavenly Father, thank You for the strength to live each day following your wonderful peace plan for my life. Let me be a blessing to my friends, family, neighbors, and yes, even those who have animosity towards me. Help me love others so that I might truly experience the blessing of seeing the fear in others that are all around me turn into love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Written by Jim Penner
(Hour of Power)
What do you want your perfect world to look like?
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