Refrain From Strife

It is honorable to refrain from strife,
    but every fool is quick to quarrel. Prov 20:3

Lately I have been biting my tongue and restraining my fingers from typing words that are best left unsaid, an awful lot, in order to keep from quarreling with some who appear to be provoking quarrels and strife. It is not always easy for me; but, I do try. Every now and then something slips through my lips or the tips of my fingers and I am confessing that sin before the day's end.

The world appears to be in quite a mess right now. ISIS has caused and continues to cause much devastation. But, it's not all that helpful for those whom ISIS threatens with death to be fighting with each other. There are way too many conflicts going on all over the world (there always are) for any country or people to expend any more time or energy stirring up more conflict amongst themselves.

Is it not time for us to refrain from strife and quit quarreling amongst our brothers and sisters here and around the world so we can focus on taking care of the imminent and very real dangers that ISIS is bent on bringing?

I am fortunate to live in a country where we have freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and a whole lot of freedoms that many in this world do not have. I am very disappointed that we often take those freedoms for granted and use them to cause strife and quarrels. Instead of being thankful for these freedoms we abuse the privileges by using them to cause more strife and quarrels. We do not have the time to argue with or slander one another; we have way too much to do. There is enough suffering in the world without adding to it.

I do not think that I will be repenting of this blog by this day's end.

May God help us to live and work in unity to protect all whose lives are being torn apart and even ended.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

James 4 Fights, Quarrels, Injustice

James 4 NIV
I watched the news, the unpeaceful protests in Baltimore, late into the night last night. Sadly, that is just a tiny fraction of the unrest in the world these days. It never ceases to amaze me that so many people will use the excuse that they seek justice to commit more injustice. Breaking the law and throwing rocks and bottles at cops is not going to promote anyone's agenda for the good. How can looting and setting other people's property on fire be justice in anyone's mind? Yet, there are quite a few who think that it is.

There is so much dissension in this world. St. James asks: "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (vs 1-3)

We are taught by scripture that we are to love our neighbors and that doesn't mean just the people in the church. We are to love even our enemies. We are to care for them. To unjustly attack our neighbors or even our enemies is sin. To cause harm to them whether it be intentional or unintentional is sin. What we do or what we ask God for should not be for our benefit alone; because it might be pleasing to us; but, for the good of all people. 

"If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them." (vs 17) "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." (vs 7,8)

May God help us to learn to better trust that His will is for the good of all of His children.. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Proverbs 18 - Unfriendly Customer Service and Government Offices

"An unfriendly person pursues selfish ends and against all sound judgment starts quarrels. Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions." 18:1-2 NIV

^"One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys." (18:9)

^"Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor." (18:12)

We had some errands to do out of town the other day. It was a strange day. So many unfriendly people. We were able to laugh about it all at dinner, but while it was happening it was not so funny.

Now, I know that "Can I help you?" on a typed page may seem friendly enough, but it is not always about what one says, but how you say it. Be careful who you are treating like a criminal. This is, after all, the week that we are reminded often that Jesus, Himself, was treated like a criminal. Customer service representatives should remember that the department store you work in hired you to serve not interrogate customers. The store you work at may lose a customer and more. Your boss may find out why you lost a customer. You may be looking for a new job. Think a little ahead of your lips. Unemployment is high right now. There are people looking for work - lots of them. We heard "attitude" more than once on that little outing.  I don't know... maybe I shouldn't have worn my comfy, but worn flannel shirt that day. Did I look like a criminal?

These days, I like doing most of my shopping and business online or by telephone. I have to drive a distance to get to a lot of stores and it gets a bit tiring running into unfriendly people. It is a relief that so many government offices are doing business on-line now. It makes it quicker. I don't have to drive an hour to get there. And... the people online or on the telephone just seem friendlier for the most part.

Another of our stops was a government office. That was a fiasco! I know, that there is a lot of fear among people today. But, homeland security, should be a bit more friendly than what we experienced. Again, maybe it was my flannel shirt or maybe my teen-age granddaughter wasn't smiling enough or maybe my husband who is a graying, retired Marine made him nervous, or maybe it was my 40 year old sons very short crew-cut... I don't know what set the security guard off. I was the first to walk in to the building. I was the first who was told, with glaring eyes and that "tone" to "check in" without directions on how to check in. Actually, I did not realize that he was a security guard until much later when he started playing with his gun. I thought maybe he was someone with untreated mental health issues that had wandered in. He was, after all, just sitting there in the lobby, just staring. After I took a number, we waited for about 10  minutes to be called. We were the only ones there. We waited under the watchful, glaring eye of the homeland security guard. He never took his eyes off of us. Someone needs to tell him (and any others like him) that those taxpayers you try to intimidate really are your employers. And... someone should also tell you that those intimidating tactics actually start quarrels. He obviously did not know that.

Sadly, it seems, there are a few too many (one is too many) unfriendly people in the customer service business who are really there just for the paycheck. There are a few public servants, who get paid enough for two families to live well, who really ought to be a bit more thankful to the other taxpayers that they still have jobs. (I can see one place where the federal budget can be cut) There are too many people in the service industry who do not seem to care to hear what the customer or client wants or why they are there.

Don't get me wrong. I am not really anti-social and although I joke about being a hermit, I really am not. I like to be out and about in my own county (Baraga County). I actually enjoy shopping in the local stores. Family Dollar is great! The people at Family Dollar know how to greet you. They are friendly people and will help you. It's only when I leave the county that I seem to run into trouble. Not sure, maybe I really do look like the sinner that I am.

This is Holy Week and we remember that Jesus was a servant to all. The King of kings was not here to be served. He was here and is here to serve at all costs. He gave His life freely. Would courtesy be asking too much of those we actually pay to serve?

God's Peace - Pr. J