Eager For Peace Keeping (TT)

 It's most good and pleasant when we are 

"eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3).  

But when our unbridled tongues begin to wag divisively, ugly scenes emerge.  People get splattered and splashed by the spray like a car driving by on a rainy day plastering a pedestrian with dirty puddle water.

You get the picture.  There are people who are so argumentative, petty and love to pick fights.  Most want you to "choose sides".  If you don't want to then that creates a thorn in their flesh and that person furthers the knife twisting, so to speak, attempting to coerce you to their way of thinking.

Naturally there will always be differences of opinion but how we navigate those, whether at home, work, school, or church, shows a level of maturity, or not.  Make these times opportunities to put our eagerness into extra effect.  That eagerness for peacemaking and maintaining the unity of the Spirit are always at our doorsteps. 

Let's guard our words more assiduously, speaking words that make for peace and refraining from those that stir up dissension (see Proverbs 6:16, and 19).

Maybe we need to memorzie Ephesians 4:3, repeating it almost like a mantra, especially if we find we are one that has tendancies to perpetuate disharmony and disunity.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, I must do what it takes to be part of those

 "eager to maintain unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Let's communicate the fragrance of Christ to one and all.

Father God, as You know, we human beings can be so quarrelsome.  It only takes a spark to get a wildfire going.  But we are very thankful that we followers of Jesus Christ have Your Holy Spirit indwelling, giving us the great potential for self-control in the areas of controlling our tongues.  Make each of us more conscious of our thoughts that propel our tongues.  Stop us from speaking divisively.  We definitely need this help.  I ask in Jesus' name, amen.

                                              ~  ERC  April 2025 ~

Based on Ephesians 4:3 (ESV) and 30 Days To Taming YOUR Tongue by Deborah Smith Pegues.

Sing, Wonderful Words of Life, along with Joslin Grove Choir and Come, Jesus Come along with CeCe Winans.

Memorize: Ephesians 4:3.