Proverbs 19:11 A person's wisdom yields patience;
it is to one's glory to overlook an offense. New International Version (NIV)
it is to one's glory to overlook an offense. New International Version (NIV)
Tonight's lesson in our youth group will be about "pyrrhic victories", it is the situation where the cost of victory is greater than what we gain in the victory. We may have the knowledge and skill to win victory with friends, family, co-workers or customers, but this verse tells us that the wise person sees this cost and makes a wise choice in being patient in the situation.
I read a comment about patience recently about a verse in the New Testament, Gal. 5:22 which stated, "Longsuffering is synonymous with patience. This translates from a compound word in Greek meaning "far from anger". This type of conduct, which is virtually void of a spirit of retaliation, cannot be worked up. It is produced from within. In our fast paced, self seeking world, patience does not seem to be in high demand. Like all the others in this cluster of fruit (fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22), longsuffering arises from love. Love's greatest triumph is not always in what love does - more often than not- in what love refrains from doing."
The NLT introduction to today's verse starts with "sensible people use restraint". We may have opportunities today to win battles, to win a victory in another, but if it is a pyrrhic victory where we win the argument and lose a friend, what have we gained, what is our witness? This sensibility, this patience, this forbearance, helps us to refrain from exercising our "legal right", even in the face of provocation, that we may keep the friend and pray for another opportunity to show love and for the Spirit to produce the fruit, the overall victory.
In Christ,
Mike
Mike
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Proverbs 19:10-12
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
10 Luxury is not appropriate for a fool—
how much less for a slave to rule over princes!
11 A person's insight gives him patience,
and his virtue is to overlook an offense.
12 A king's rage is like the roaring of a lion,
but his favor is like dew on the grass.
No comments:
Post a Comment